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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
468
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: kick · arm · foot · dip · charge · pit · stock · spring

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. spring — the season
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pit — a hole
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. kick — in football
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pit — in a race
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spring — of water
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. foot — 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