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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
468
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: season · pass · arm · board · hand · tube · fall · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. pass — a permit
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. board — a committee
  9. tube — the underground
  10. fall — the season
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. hand — help
  13. season — in sport
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. file — a tool
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. board — to get on
  21. season — of the year
  22. tube — a container
  23. pass — to succeed
  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