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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: calf · deal · club · chair · bass · charge · clip · board

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — a price
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. board — to get on
  9. club — for golf
  10. clip — for paper
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. deal — to handle
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — a video
  15. board — a committee
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the fish
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bass — low music
  20. charge — in control
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. club — for dancing
  24. board — a flat piece

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