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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: date · charge · season · kick · chair · bowl · arm · calf

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. charge — a price
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. charge — electricity
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chair — a leader
  20. charge — in control
  21. season — of the year
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. kick — in football
  24. season — in sport

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