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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: charge · stock · leaves · chip · staff · can · foot · clip

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. stock — goods
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. staff — employees
  4. stock — shares
  5. can — a tin
  6. charge — electricity
  7. staff — employees
  8. can — a tin
  9. staff — a stick
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. foot — a measure
  12. chip — to eat
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. clip — a video
  15. charge — in control
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. can — to be able to
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. clip — to cut
  21. charge — a price
  22. clip — for paper
  23. chip — for betting
  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