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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: can · lash · present · pitcher · clip · jam · stand · chip

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. clip — a video
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. present — a gift
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stand — to bear
  12. chip — for betting
  13. present — the time now
  14. clip — for paper
  15. can — a tin
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. can — to be able to
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. can — a tin
  23. clip — to cut
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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