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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 112 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: mark · deal · kick · band · chip · charge · bay · saw

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. charge — electricity
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. band — a ring
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chip — to eat
  10. saw — the tool
  11. band — a music group
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mark — a grade
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. charge — a price
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. charge — in control
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mark — a trace
  24. kick — a thrill

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