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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: clip · press · object · content · chip · swing · coach · plane

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. content — happy
  3. object — an aim
  4. plane — a tool
  5. content — the amount
  6. swing — to play on
  7. chip — for betting
  8. clip — for paper
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. press — a publisher
  12. swing — in golf
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. object — to protest
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. swing — music
  17. press — to push
  18. object — a thing
  19. clip — a video
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. press — newspapers
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. clip — to cut

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