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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · race · arm · tube · mouse · lean · plane · spring

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. spring — the season
  5. race — a contest
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. lean — to bend
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. tube — a container
  16. lean — thin
  17. race — the arms race
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. race — humankind
  21. plane — a tool
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. can — to be able to
  24. arm — part of the body

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