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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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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 · vault · wind · content · clip · lie · wound · wave

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. clip — to cut
  3. content — happy
  4. clip — for paper
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. clip — a video
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. chip — for betting
  15. content — the amount
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. lie — to recline
  22. vault — a safe
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wind — moving air

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