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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · arm · leaves · charge · chair · cap · sharp · bear

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. charge — a price
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cap — a hat
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. suit — in cards
  7. charge — in control
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bear — the animal
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cap — of ice
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. sharp — clever
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. suit — to fit
  21. chair — a leader
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bear — the animal
  24. leaves — to go away

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