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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: snap · charge · arm · rest · chip · jam · lash · rock

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. charge — a price
  3. rest — a break
  4. chip — to eat
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rock — music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rest — what's left
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. snap — to click
  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