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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.

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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: chip · can · swing · pitcher · net · ruler · clip · nail

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. can — a tin
  3. clip — to cut
  4. can — to be able to
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. swing — to play on
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. chip — to eat
  11. swing — music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. clip — for paper
  14. net — for catching
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. clip — a video
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. net — in sport
  20. swing — in golf
  21. can — a tin
  22. net — after costs
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chip — in a computer

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