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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: clip · charge · hide · track · chip · jam · fine · mouse

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. clip — for paper
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. track — a path
  5. clip — to cut
  6. chip — to eat
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. charge — a price
  11. track — a song
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. chip — for betting
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. clip — a video
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. charge — in control

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