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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: charge · firm · nail · arm · pop · content · mark · bowl

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. charge — a price
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. charge — in control
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. firm — a company
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. content — the amount
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. firm — decided
  14. pop — music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. firm — steady
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pop — to visit
  22. content — happy
  23. pop — soda
  24. arm — a part of something

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