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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: pound · clip · chip · content · charge · net · foot · fan

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. clip — a video
  3. chip — to eat
  4. content — the amount
  5. charge — in control
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. clip — to cut
  12. charge — a price
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. net — for catching
  16. content — happy
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. charge — electricity
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fan — a supporter

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