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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: snap · charge · bay · fine · chip · firm · plane · wind

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. firm — decided
  5. snap — to click
  6. firm — steady
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wind — moving air
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fine — all right
  14. charge — a price
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fine — high quality
  22. charge — in control
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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