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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: nail · perch · chip · charge · mark · pitcher · fine · press

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fine — high quality
  8. chip — for betting
  9. press — to push
  10. mark — a trace
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. press — newspapers
  14. charge — a price
  15. fine — all right
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — in control
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mark — a grade
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. charge — electricity

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