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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. clip — to cut
  3. present — the time now
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. net — in sport
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. clip — a video
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fine — all right
  16. clip — for paper
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. present — there
  22. wake — a trail
  23. present — a gift
  24. fine — high quality

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