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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: stick · clip · shower · bay · chip · charge · temple · wax

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. charge — a price
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. clip — to cut
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. shower — to wash
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. clip — a video
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. clip — for paper
  23. charge — electricity
  24. shower — rain

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