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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: arm · jam · scale · sharp · snap · cabinet · fine · charge

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fine — all right
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. scale — in music
  7. charge — in control
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. charge — a price
  10. fine — high quality
  11. snap — to click
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. scale — size or range
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. charge — electricity
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fine — a penalty

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