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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 · saw · bore · dip · arm · chest · charge · fine

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fine — high quality
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. charge — a price
  11. fine — all right
  12. saw — the tool
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chest — a box
  20. bore — to tire
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bass — low music
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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