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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: squash · rash · pop · pass · clip · lash · stand · branch

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pop — soda
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rash — a series
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — a video
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stand — to bear
  15. squash — the sport
  16. clip — for paper
  17. branch — a division
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. pop — music
  24. rash — hasty

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