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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.

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: snap · charge · chip · leaves · tube · rock · clip · row

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. tube — a container
  3. clip — a video
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. tube — the underground
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. row — to paddle
  11. clip — for paper
  12. clip — to cut
  13. charge — electricity
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. snap — to click
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. chip — for betting
  19. charge — in control
  20. row — a line
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. charge — a price
  24. chip — to eat

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