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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.

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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: squash · bat · pit · toast · chip · clip · season · cabinet

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. clip — a video
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — for paper
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. season — of the year
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. season — in sport
  14. chip — to eat
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. bat — the animal
  17. pit — in a race
  18. squash — the sport
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pit — a hole
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. toast — bread
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. cabinet — ministers

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