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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 120 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: mug · bass · fine · stick · fall · pit · arm · charge

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. charge — in control
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fall — the season
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pit — in a race
  12. charge — a price
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bass — low music
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fine — high quality

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