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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.

Make a worksheet

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: dip · leaves · scale · hide · key · clip · chip · march

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. scale — size or range
  4. dip — to sink
  5. key — for a lock
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. chip — for betting
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. key — in music
  10. scale — in music
  11. march — music
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. chip — to eat
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — to cut
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. march — the month
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. key — the most important part
  24. march — the month

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