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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: chip · dip · arm · plane · drill · snap · racket · charge

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. charge — electricity
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. chip — for betting
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. drill — a practice
  8. dip — to sink
  9. drill — the tool
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. drill — army training
  12. charge — in control
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. chip — to eat
  15. charge — a price
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. snap — to click
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. plane — a tool
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. plane — an aircraft

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