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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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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 · wax · club · charge · kid · key · racket · stand

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. charge — a price
  8. club — for dancing
  9. kid — child
  10. club — a group
  11. chip — to eat
  12. charge — in control
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. club — for golf
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. key — the most important part
  19. kid — to tease
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. chip — for betting

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