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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: face · deal · suit · fan · race · arm · calf · tube

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. race — humankind
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. race — a contest
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. suit — in cards
  18. race — the arms race
  19. face — to point toward
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. tube — in a tire

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