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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: lash · stand · chip · clip · pop · bass · bound · calf

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bass — low music
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. clip — for paper
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pop — music
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bass — the fish
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. clip — a video
  15. pop — soda
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bound — certain
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  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