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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.

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: clip · staff · fine · bat · chip · lie · key · calf

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. key — for a lock
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. clip — a video
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fine — all right
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. clip — for paper
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. key — in music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fine — high quality
  23. clip — to cut
  24. lie — an untruth

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