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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 116 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: stick · chip · dip · safe · clip · field · rock · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. clip — for paper
  10. dip — to sink
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. clip — a video
  15. field — farmland
  16. rock — a stone
  17. field — for sport
  18. rock — music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. clip — to cut
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. field — a subject

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