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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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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: clip · rock · fine · current · chip · nail · charge · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. charge — in control
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. clip — to cut
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fine — all right
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — a price
  10. current — of water
  11. snap — to click
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. clip — a video
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fine — high quality
  23. clip — for paper
  24. rock — music

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