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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: arm · wound · game · club · spell · charge · rush · foot

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. charge — electricity
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. wound — an injury
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wound — an injury
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. game — a match
  10. spell — letters
  11. club — a group
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. game — wild animals
  16. foot — a measure
  17. charge — in control
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. spell — magic
  20. club — for golf
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. charge — a price
  24. arm — part of the body

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