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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: dip · mouse · fine · stock · clip · face · charge · wound

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. face — to confront
  3. clip — to cut
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. clip — for paper
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. stock — shares
  10. clip — a video
  11. charge — a price
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. fine — all right
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. charge — in control
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stock — goods
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. face — part of the head

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