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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: chip · fall · cap · safe · straw · racket · charge · mark

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mark — a grade
  10. charge — a price
  11. cap — a hat
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — in control
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mark — a trace
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fall — to drop
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fall — the season
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. mark — to pay attention

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