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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.

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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: club · safe · rush · charge · stem · clip · chip · perch

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. clip — for paper
  4. clip — a video
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. club — for dancing
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. perch — the fish
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — a price
  18. chip — to eat
  19. club — a group
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. club — for golf
  22. stem — to come from
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stem — a stem cell

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