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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: scale · plane · clip · charge · firm · lash · bound · jam

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. firm — decided
  3. bound — tied together
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. charge — a price
  6. plane — a tool
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. charge — in control
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bound — certain
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — for paper
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. firm — a company
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bound — obliged
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. firm — steady
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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