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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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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: vault · clip · deal · charge · chip · fork · key · trunk

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. key — in music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. clip — for paper
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. key — for a lock
  17. charge — in control
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fork — in a road
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. key — the most important part
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. vault — a safe
  24. clip — to cut

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