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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: lash · chip · cue · present · temple · bark · can · pass

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. present — a gift
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bark — to shout
  6. can — a tin
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. can — to be able to
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. present — the time now
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. can — a tin
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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