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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: arm · tube · race · foot · wave · nail · charge · face

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. charge — in control
  4. face — part of the head
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. race — the arms race
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. foot — a measure
  13. face — to point toward
  14. tube — a container
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. charge — a price
  17. face — to confront
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. race — a contest
  20. tube — the underground
  21. charge — electricity
  22. race — humankind
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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