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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: pop · chip · snap · foot · hide · clip · pass · fine

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pop — soda
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — to cut
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pass — a permit
  19. clip — for paper
  20. fine — all right
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pop — music

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