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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.

Make a worksheet

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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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: patient · bark · chair · scale · clip · pit · chip · racket

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. clip — for paper
  7. scale — in music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — a video
  11. pit — a hole
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bark — to shout
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. scale — size or range
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. chair — a leader

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