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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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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: cap · chip · bass · ruler · rash · arm · charge · mark

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. chip — to eat
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rash — hasty
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. mark — a grade
  17. chip — for betting
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. charge — a price
  20. mark — a trace
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rash — a series

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