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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: pound · stand · charge · chip · season · march · arm · leaves

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. season — in sport
  4. charge — in control
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — a price
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. chip — to eat
  14. charge — electricity
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chip — for betting
  19. march — music
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. season — of the year

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