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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: mate · charge · staff · arm · mug · dip · spell · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mate — a partner
  5. charge — electricity
  6. spell — letters
  7. mug — a cup
  8. charge — a price
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mate — a friend
  11. charge — in control
  12. staff — employees
  13. bound — obliged
  14. staff — employees
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mug — a face
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mate — to breed
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bound — certain
  21. mug — to rob
  22. spell — a short time
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spell — magic

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