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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: arm · pass · march · craft · rush · perch · pound · chip

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. perch — the fish
  3. chip — to eat
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. craft — boats
  14. march — the month
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rush — hurry
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pound — a weight
  23. arm — part of the body
  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