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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: patient · saw · tube · arm · plane · can · bulb · scale

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. can — a tin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. can — a tin
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — a container
  14. plane — a tool
  15. scale — in music
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bulb — for light
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. saw — the tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. scale — size or range
  23. can — to be able to
  24. arm — a part of something

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