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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: suit · arm · file · fan · degree · charge · rock · spring

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — clothes
  5. spring — of water
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. degree — from a university
  8. charge — a price
  9. file — a document
  10. suit — in cards
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — temperature
  13. rock — music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. file — a line of people
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — a coil
  24. file — a tool

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