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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.

Words on the sheet
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: bore · chip · racket · clip · wave · suit · bass · spell

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. clip — a video
  6. suit — clothes
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bass — the fish
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. clip — to cut
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chip — to eat
  20. suit — in cards
  21. spell — letters
  22. bass — low music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bore — gave birth

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