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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: chip · bore · arm · scale · lean · charge · spring · court

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. spring — a coil
  3. scale — size or range
  4. court — of a king
  5. lean — thin
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. court — of law
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. scale — in music
  10. spring — the season
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. spring — of water
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. court — for sport
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lean — to bend
  20. chip — to eat
  21. charge — a price
  22. chip — for betting
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. charge — in control

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