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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 120 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: kid · object · cue · bore · game · march · arm · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. kid — to tease
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cue — a hint
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. cue — for pool
  9. charge — electricity
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. march — music
  12. kid — child
  13. march — the month
  14. object — an aim
  15. bore — to tire
  16. charge — a price
  17. object — to protest
  18. bore — to drill
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cue — a signal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — a thing
  24. march — the month

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