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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: club · clip · squash · suit · craft · cabinet · mouse · chip

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. clip — for paper
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. squash — to crush
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. craft — a skill
  13. club — for golf
  14. suit — to fit
  15. craft — boats
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. clip — a video
  24. chip — for betting

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