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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.

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: clip · fine · charge · track · land · perch · vault · chip

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. vault — a safe
  3. track — a song
  4. charge — a price
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. land — to come down
  7. track — a path
  8. charge — in control
  9. clip — for paper
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. clip — a video
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chip — to eat
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fine — high quality
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. land — ground
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. clip — to cut
  22. fine — all right
  23. charge — electricity
  24. land — a country

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