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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: chip · key · temple · mug · clip · charge · band · pop

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. clip — for paper
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. chip — to eat
  6. band — a music group
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pop — music
  9. clip — a video
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mug — a face
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mug — to rob
  19. band — a ring
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mug — a cup
  22. clip — to cut
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. key — in music

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