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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 120 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
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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: chip · ball · bass · trunk · hide · hand · bay · charge

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. hand — help
  6. chip — to eat
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bass — low music
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. charge — a price
  13. chip — for betting
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bass — the fish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. charge — in control
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bass — the instrument

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