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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bound · mug · spring · suit · march · charge · arm · sharp

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. suit — in cards
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mug — a cup
  8. march — music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mug — a face
  13. spring — of water
  14. march — the month
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spring — a coil
  18. march — the month
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — certain
  23. spring — the season
  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