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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: charge · snap · bear · current · squash · rest · arm · bass

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. current — of water
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. rest — a break
  9. current — electric
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rest — what's left
  12. snap — to click
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. charge — in control
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bear — the animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. current — happening now
  19. rest — what's left
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. charge — a price

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