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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · racket · ball · fan · clip · suit · straw · club

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. clip — to cut
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. clip — for paper
  5. suit — to fit
  6. clip — a video
  7. chip — to eat
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. club — a group
  10. ball — a great time
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. ball — a dance
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. club — for golf
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chip — for betting
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. club — for dancing
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. suit — in cards

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