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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: suit · bay · lean · clip · spell · racket · fan · chip

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  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. racket — a loud noise
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. lean — thin
  8. clip — a video
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lean — to bend
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. spell — letters
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. spell — magic
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. spell — a short time
  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