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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: arm · board · pitcher · kick · squash · dip · toast · charge

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. charge — in control
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. squash — the sport
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. squash — to crush
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. dip — to sink
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. board — a committee
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. arm — part of the body

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