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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: wound · arm · board · tube · charge · sharp · face · bound

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bound — tied together
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wound — an injury
  8. charge — a price
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. charge — electricity
  13. board — a committee
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. board — to get on
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wound — an injury
  19. charge — in control
  20. tube — a container
  21. sharp — clever
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. face — to confront
  24. board — a flat piece

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