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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: rock · ball · chair · can · arm · fan · charge · lie

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lie — to recline
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — a price
  12. chair — a leader
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. charge — in control
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ball — a great time
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. rock — music
  24. can — to be able to

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