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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: spring · charge · cap · fine · chair · firm · pound · chip

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. charge — electricity
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pound — a weight
  5. cap — a lid
  6. spring — the season
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fine — high quality
  9. chair — a leader
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — steady
  14. charge — a price
  15. firm — a company
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. firm — decided
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. chip — for betting
  24. fine — all right

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