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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: key · clip · charge · ball · dip · wave · chip · ruler

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. clip — for paper
  10. key — for a lock
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — to cut
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ball — a great time
  20. charge — electricity
  21. key — the most important part
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. key — in music
  24. charge — in control

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