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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · drill · bound · charge · arm · chair · root · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bound — certain
  3. chair — a leader
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. dip — to sink
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. drill — a practice
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bound — obliged
  12. drill — army training
  13. root — of a plant
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. root — the cause
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. root — of a word
  19. charge — electricity
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bound — tied together
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. drill — the tool
  24. fan — to cool the air

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