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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 · charge · wound · arm · fan · safe · squash

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. squash — to crush
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. squash — the sport
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. tube — a container
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wound — an injury
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. charge — electricity
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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