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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.

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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: chip · charge · suit · clip · pop · perch · rest · stick

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. clip — a video
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pop — soda
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pop — music
  8. chip — to eat
  9. charge — a price
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rest — a break
  14. charge — in control
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — to fit
  18. clip — for paper
  19. perch — the fish
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pop — to visit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. chip — for betting

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