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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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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: race · tube · file · lash · charge · bank · arm · pit

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. charge — in control
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bank — for money
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. charge — electricity
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pit — in a race
  14. file — a tool
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. file — a document
  17. charge — a price
  18. race — humankind
  19. pit — a hole
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — a contest
  23. tube — a container
  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