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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · bound · chip · charge · firm · season

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bound — obliged
  3. firm — a company
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bound — certain
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. charge — a price
  8. season — in sport
  9. chip — to eat
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. firm — steady
  15. chip — for betting
  16. firm — decided
  17. bound — tied together
  18. arm — a part of something

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