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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: bass · plane · arm · swing · charge · pitcher · chip · mark

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. charge — electricity
  3. mark — a trace
  4. chip — for betting
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. swing — in golf
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. swing — to play on
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. swing — music
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bass — the fish
  18. charge — in control
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. chip — to eat
  24. charge — a price

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