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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.

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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 · charge · foot · snap · fine · wind · stick · prune

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wind — moving air
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. charge — a price
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. charge — in control
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wind — moving air
  19. foot — a measure
  20. prune — to trim
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fine — all right
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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