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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.

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: rash · mark · rock · squash · pass · land · cell · branch

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rash — hasty
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rash — a series
  10. mark — a trace
  11. squash — the sport
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. land — to come down
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rock — music
  21. land — a country
  22. branch — a division
  23. rock — a stone
  24. land — ground

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