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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: bay · lean · arm · rock · safe · nail · tube · rash

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. lean — thin
  12. tube — a container
  13. rock — a stone
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. rock — music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. nail — for a hammer

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