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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · fall · face · can · arm · lean · tube · object

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. tube — the underground
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. can — a tin
  5. object — to protest
  6. face — to confront
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. face — to point toward
  11. tube — a container
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fall — to drop
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lean — to bend
  17. object — an aim
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lean — thin
  20. fall — to drop
  21. face — part of the head
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — a thing
  24. mark — to pay attention

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com