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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.

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: pass · ball · chip · branch · row · wound · plane · rest

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ball — a dance
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. row — a line
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rest — a break
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. branch — a division
  14. rest — what's left
  15. row — to paddle
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pass — a permit

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