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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: stick · clip · row · object · chest · charge · mug · jam

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — to protest
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. chest — a box
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. object — an aim
  10. mug — a cup
  11. row — a line
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. chest — of your body
  14. row — to paddle
  15. clip — to cut
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. clip — for paper
  21. clip — a video
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. object — a thing
  24. chest — of your 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