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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: tube · pass · calf · fan · race · lash · arm · root

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pass — a permit
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. race — a contest
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. root — of a word
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. root — the cause
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. tube — a container
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. race — humankind
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. root — of a plant
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. race — the arms race
  24. lash — to lash out

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