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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: charge · roll · deal · swing · arm · fork · sharp · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. scale — size or range
  2. charge — in control
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. sharp — clever
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. charge — a price
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. scale — in music
  14. swing — music
  15. roll — a list
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. swing — to play on
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. swing — in golf
  23. roll — a cake
  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