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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
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: chest · charge · mug · firm · arm · wave · hand · squash

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. mug — to rob
  3. firm — steady
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — a price
  7. hand — help
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. firm — a company
  10. charge — in control
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. chest — of your body
  14. mug — a cup
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. firm — decided
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. squash — to crush
  22. charge — electricity
  23. chest — a box
  24. mug — a face

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