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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.

Words on the sheet
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: file · arm · charge · spring · rush · ball · bass · rest

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. file — a line of people
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. spring — of water
  10. charge — electricity
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ball — a great time
  13. file — a document
  14. charge — a price
  15. file — a tool
  16. spring — the season
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rest — a break
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. rush — hurry
  23. spring — a coil
  24. charge — in control

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