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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: pop · charge · wave · chip · arm · land · fan · lean

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. land — a country
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. land — ground
  8. charge — electricity
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lean — to bend
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. land — to come down
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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