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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: clip · current · perch · chip · degree · pass · coach · wave

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. clip — for paper
  3. current — of water
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. degree — an amount
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. current — electric
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. degree — temperature
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. current — happening now
  18. chip — for betting
  19. degree — from a university
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. clip — a video
  22. perch — the fish
  23. clip — to cut
  24. perch — for a bird

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