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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: mug · bore · arm · clip · mouse · foot · charge · chip

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. clip — for paper
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bore — to drill
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. clip — a video
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. charge — in control
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mug — a cup
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. clip — to cut
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. charge — a price
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. foot — part of the body

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