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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: arm · plane · charge · fine · wind · staff · bound · firm

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. firm — decided
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fine — high quality
  5. firm — a company
  6. charge — in control
  7. fine — all right
  8. bound — certain
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wind — moving air
  12. plane — a tool
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. firm — steady
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. charge — a price
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. staff — a stick
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bound — tied together
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bound — obliged

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