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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. clip — a video
  5. firm — a company
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. firm — steady
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. spell — letters
  10. content — happy
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. content — the amount
  13. spell — magic
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. chip — for betting
  16. spell — a short time
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. firm — decided
  20. chip — to eat
  21. vault — a safe
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. clip — for paper

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