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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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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: pitcher · clip · chip · track · lie · mug · trunk · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. clip — for paper
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. track — a path
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. lie — to recline
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mug — to rob
  15. track — a song
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. clip — a video
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mug — a face
  21. clip — to cut
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lie — an untruth

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