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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: pass · charge · straw · toast · net · chip · racket · trunk

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. charge — in control
  5. toast — bread
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. charge — a price
  10. net — after costs
  11. pass — a permit
  12. charge — electricity
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chip — to eat
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. net — for catching
  17. chip — for betting
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. net — in sport
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pass — to succeed

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