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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: stick · fall · season · bass · chip · cabinet · kick · charge

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. season — in sport
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. charge — in control
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fall — the season
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bass — low music
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. fall — to drop
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bass — the fish
  22. charge — a price
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. season — of the year

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