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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · charge · pitcher · object · swing · fork · band · saw

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — an aim
  4. charge — a price
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. object — to protest
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. charge — electricity
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. fork — in a road
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. band — a ring
  14. object — a thing
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. swing — to play on
  22. band — a music group
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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