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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.

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: sharp · charge · arm · toast · trunk · pass · shower · press

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. sharp — clever
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. press — newspapers
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. shower — rain
  10. press — to push
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. toast — bread
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. charge — in control
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pass — a permit
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. press — a publisher
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. charge — a price
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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