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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: fan · branch · charge · clip · suit · wave · lie · chip

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. charge — a price
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. branch — a division
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. charge — in control
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. chip — for betting
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chip — to eat
  20. suit — in cards
  21. charge — electricity
  22. clip — to cut
  23. clip — for paper
  24. clip — a video

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