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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: bay · bowl · charge · clip · ruler · scale · pit · chip

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. clip — to cut
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. charge — electricity
  21. scale — in music
  22. charge — a price
  23. clip — a video
  24. charge — in control

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