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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: tear · nail · temple · charge · spell · chair · jam · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. spell — magic
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. charge — in control
  9. spell — a short time
  10. charge — a price
  11. spell — letters
  12. charge — electricity
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. tear — from crying
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chair — a leader

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