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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: roll · pass · temple · clip · pit · branch · chip · present

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. branch — a division
  4. chip — to eat
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pass — a permit
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pit — in a race
  12. clip — a video
  13. present — the time now
  14. clip — to cut
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. roll — a cake
  17. chip — for betting
  18. clip — for paper
  19. present — a gift
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pit — a hole
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. present — there
  24. pass — to spend time

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