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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: rush · racket · arm · charge · object · scale · shower · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. shower — rain
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. charge — electricity
  6. shower — to wash
  7. scale — size or range
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. object — an aim
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. rush — hurry
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. object — a thing
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. object — to protest
  19. charge — in control
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. charge — a price
  23. scale — in music
  24. racket — for tennis

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