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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: march · cap · nail · bank · arm · lash · pass · charge

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. charge — in control
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bank — for money
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cap — a lid
  12. march — the month
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bank — of a river
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. march — the month
  18. bank — for money
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cap — a hat

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