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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.

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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 · clip · mine · charge · board · mouse · snap · cap

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. mine — for digging
  3. cap — a lid
  4. board — to get on
  5. cap — a hat
  6. charge — in control
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. clip — to cut
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. snap — to click
  15. cap — of ice
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. board — a committee
  21. clip — for paper
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. charge — a price

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