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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. clip — to cut
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. clip — a video
  5. chip — for betting
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. clip — for paper
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. lean — thin
  12. net — for catching
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. net — after costs
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. net — in sport

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