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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: chip · present · clip · object · pass · saw · calf · racket

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. saw — the tool
  4. present — the time now
  5. chip — for betting
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pass — a permit
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. clip — a video
  13. present — a gift
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. clip — to cut
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. clip — for paper
  24. present — there

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