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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: mug · snap · bank · fan · arm · object · charge · pitcher

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. charge — a price
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bank — for money
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. object — an aim
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mug — a cup
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. snap — to click
  16. object — a thing
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. charge — in control
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bank — of a river
  23. charge — electricity
  24. arm — part of the body

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