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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: drill · can · suit · race · swing · mate · chip · clip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. can — a tin
  4. chip — for betting
  5. race — a contest
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mate — a friend
  10. clip — for paper
  11. drill — army training
  12. swing — in golf
  13. race — the arms race
  14. can — a tin
  15. drill — a practice
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mate — a partner
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chip — to eat
  20. drill — the tool
  21. clip — to cut
  22. suit — clothes
  23. clip — a video
  24. race — humankind

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