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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: staff · charge · arm · chair · bound · racket · cabinet · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. staff — employees
  3. charge — a price
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bound — certain
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. sharp — clever
  8. charge — in control
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. staff — employees
  14. charge — electricity
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bound — obliged
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. staff — a stick

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