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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.

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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: pass · chip · race · craft · clip · present · nail · bulb

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. present — the time now
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pass — a permit
  8. present — there
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bulb — for light
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. clip — a video
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. race — a contest
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. clip — to cut
  20. present — a gift
  21. race — humankind
  22. chip — to eat
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. craft — boats

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