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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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. charge — a price
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. sharp — clever
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. game — wild animals
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. game — a match
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. present — there
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. charge — electricity
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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