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

Word bank: charge · chip · tube · toast · lash · club

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. toast — bread
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. club — for golf
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. charge — in control
  10. chip — to eat
  11. club — for dancing
  12. tube — a container
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. club — a group
  15. chip — for betting
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lash — an eyelash

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