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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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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: pound · rock · chip · clip · firm · root · wave · bat

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rock — music
  4. pound — a weight
  5. firm — a company
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chip — for betting
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. firm — decided
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. clip — for paper
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. root — the cause
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. firm — steady
  22. bat — the animal
  23. root — of a word
  24. rock — to move gently

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