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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.

Make a worksheet

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: chip · wax · charge · clip · safe · straw · staff · bass

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. charge — in control
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. charge — a price
  9. bass — low music
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. staff — employees
  16. clip — to cut
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chip — to eat
  19. staff — a stick
  20. clip — a video
  21. staff — employees
  22. charge — electricity
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wax — to grow

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