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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: patient · chip · lash · pit · vault · stock · calf · clip

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. chip — for betting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. vault — a safe
  5. clip — to cut
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. clip — a video
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stock — goods
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. clip — for paper
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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