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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: rash · lash · charge · bear · bore · firm · arm · sharp

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bear — the animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. sharp — clever
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. charge — a price
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rash — hasty
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — a company
  15. bear — the animal
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bore — to tire
  22. firm — steady
  23. charge — electricity
  24. sharp — exactly

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