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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: can · hand · safe · bat · arm · foot · tube · fine

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. tube — the underground
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. fine — high quality
  12. can — a tin
  13. fine — all right
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. hand — help
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bat — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. foot — the bottom

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