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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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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: snap · cell · wind · key · pass · chip · clip · bulb

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cell — a phone
  9. chip — to eat
  10. key — for a lock
  11. clip — a video
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. key — the most important part
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — to cut
  19. key — in music
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. snap — to click
  24. pass — to succeed

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