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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: nail · ball · face · toast · hand · chip · arm · tube

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. hand — help
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. toast — bread
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. face — part of the head
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. face — to confront
  12. hand — in cards
  13. chip — for betting
  14. face — to point toward
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tube — the underground
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. tube — a container

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