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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · stand · charge · bass · bore · hand · object · spell

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. charge — electricity
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. object — a thing
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. charge — a price
  9. bore — to drill
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stand — to bear
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. object — an aim
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. spell — magic
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. object — to protest
  19. charge — in control
  20. bore — to tire
  21. spell — letters
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bass — low music
  24. bore — gave birth

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