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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: stick · march · wave · chip · mouse · track · clip · last

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. track — a song
  5. last — finally
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. clip — a video
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. last — to go on
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. clip — to cut
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. last — final
  22. march — the month
  23. clip — for paper
  24. track — a path

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