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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: lash · scale · clip · chip · bowl · pitcher · board · firm

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. board — a committee
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. scale — size or range
  7. clip — a video
  8. clip — to cut
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. clip — for paper
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. board — to get on
  16. firm — a company
  17. chip — for betting
  18. scale — in music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. firm — decided

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