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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: swing · clip · bulb · can · race · chip · deal · trunk

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. clip — for paper
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. race — the arms race
  8. swing — in golf
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. clip — to cut
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bulb — for light
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. chip — for betting
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. swing — music
  21. clip — a video
  22. race — a contest
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. chip — to eat

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