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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. dip — to sink
  3. charge — electricity
  4. spring — the season
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. charge — a price
  7. suit — to fit
  8. foot — a measure
  9. charge — in control
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. suit — clothes
  12. chip — to eat
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — for paper
  18. rule — a law
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rule — government
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. suit — in cards
  24. chip — for betting

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