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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: lean · arm · net · charge · current · dip · bay · cabinet

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. charge — in control
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. charge — a price
  7. net — after costs
  8. lean — thin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. dip — to sink
  11. current — electric
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — for catching
  14. lean — to bend
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. current — happening now
  17. charge — electricity
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. current — of water
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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