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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. perch — the fish
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rush — hurry
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. chip — for betting
  21. wind — moving air
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. branch — a division

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