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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 120 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: can · temple · craft · branch · press · clip · snap · chip

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. clip — a video
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. chip — to eat
  8. can — to be able to
  9. clip — to cut
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. can — a tin
  12. clip — for paper
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. snap — to click
  16. branch — a division
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — a publisher
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. chip — for betting

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