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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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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: swing · safe · clip · chip · charge · mug · bank · pound

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mug — a face
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bank — for money
  6. clip — to cut
  7. chip — for betting
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. clip — for paper
  13. mug — a cup
  14. charge — a price
  15. swing — music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. charge — electricity
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bank — for money
  21. chip — to eat
  22. clip — a video
  23. charge — in control
  24. safe — out of danger

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