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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: tube · coach · can · calf · content · lie · arm · fall

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. fall — the season
  4. can — a tin
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lie — to recline
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tube — a container
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. content — the amount
  16. fall — to drop
  17. content — happy
  18. can — to be able to
  19. tube — the underground
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. can — a tin
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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