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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: clip · leaves · bear · arm · chip · pass · current · lash

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pass — a permit
  5. current — electric
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. clip — to cut
  13. current — of water
  14. clip — for paper
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. current — happening now
  22. bear — the animal
  23. clip — a video
  24. leaves — of a tree

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