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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: chest · cabinet · suit · current · charge · pass · arm · jam

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. current — electric
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. chest — of your body
  15. current — happening now
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pass — a permit
  19. current — of water
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. suit — in cards
  24. chest — a box

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