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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: staff · arm · mark · charge · kick · mug · bank · file

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. charge — a price
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. staff — employees
  7. charge — electricity
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bank — for money
  11. mug — to rob
  12. file — a document
  13. bank — of a river
  14. kick — in football
  15. mark — a grade
  16. charge — in control
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. staff — employees
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. file — a tool
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. staff — a stick
  24. file — a line of people

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