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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 116 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: wake · clip · chip · key · plane · content · pound · nail

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. clip — to cut
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. content — the amount
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. clip — for paper
  10. chip — for betting
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. clip — a video
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. content — happy
  24. nail — on a finger

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