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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: tube · patient · safe · chip · clip · branch · swing · game

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. clip — a video
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chip — for betting
  6. swing — to play on
  7. tube — a container
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. swing — music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. clip — to cut
  16. game — a match
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. branch — a division
  19. game — wild animals
  20. tube — the underground
  21. swing — in golf
  22. clip — for paper
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chip — to eat

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