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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: clip · tube · pit · pass · chip · stock · file · calf

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. clip — a video
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stock — goods
  7. clip — for paper
  8. file — a tool
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stock — shares
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. chip — to eat
  22. clip — to cut
  23. chip — for betting
  24. file — a document

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