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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 120 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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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: cell · can · bear · arm · pound · bay · staff · charge

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. can — a tin
  6. charge — a price
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. can — a tin
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bear — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bear — the animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. can — to be able to
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. charge — in control
  24. cell — in biology

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