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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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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: board · clip · charge · safe · tube · wave · snap · chip

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. chip — to eat
  3. tube — the underground
  4. chip — for betting
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. clip — to cut
  7. charge — in control
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — a price
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. charge — electricity
  14. board — to get on
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to click
  18. tube — a container
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. clip — a video
  24. clip — for paper

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