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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.

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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: chip · ball · bulb · tube · key · fan · pop · clip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. clip — a video
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pop — to visit
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. key — in music
  12. clip — to cut
  13. tube — a container
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. clip — for paper
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. key — for a lock
  22. chip — for betting
  23. tube — the underground
  24. key — the most important part

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