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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: fine · bore · squash · pit · charge · club · clip · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. charge — electricity
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. clip — a video
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bore — to tire
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. club — for golf
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. clip — to cut
  23. bore — to drill
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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