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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: chip · rock · fan · pound · fork · charge · arm · spell

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. charge — in control
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. chip — for betting
  17. spell — letters
  18. rock — a stone
  19. charge — a price
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. chip — to eat
  24. charge — electricity

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