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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: swing · board · jam · charge · arm · safe

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. swing — to play on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. charge — electricity
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. board — to get on
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. swing — in golf
  11. charge — in control
  12. swing — music
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. charge — a price

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