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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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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: arm · wave · wind · lash · toast · charge · jam · chair

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. toast — bread
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. charge — electricity
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. wind — moving air
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. charge — in control
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. charge — a price
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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