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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 120 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
468
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 · prune · key · clip · trunk · suit · hide · rash

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — to cut
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. key — the most important part
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. chip — to eat
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rash — hasty
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. key — for a lock
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. key — in music
  18. rash — a series
  19. clip — for paper
  20. chip — for betting
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. hide — animal skin

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