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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: snap · pop · charge · squash · firm · arm · chair · nail

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. charge — in control
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. charge — a price
  7. firm — a company
  8. squash — to crush
  9. firm — decided
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pop — soda
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pop — to visit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. firm — steady
  17. snap — to click
  18. pop — music
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. squash — the sport
  23. chair — a leader
  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