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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 120 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: pass · chest · fall · object · tube · racket · clip · arm

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. chest — of your body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chest — a box
  7. pass — a permit
  8. clip — for paper
  9. object — a thing
  10. fall — the season
  11. object — an aim
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fall — to drop
  15. tube — the underground
  16. clip — to cut
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fall — to drop
  19. tube — a container
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. object — to protest
  22. chest — of your body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. racket — for tennis

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