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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 120 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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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 · bay · rule · bore · chip · suit · pass · branch

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. branch — a division
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rule — government
  10. bore — to tire
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. chip — for betting
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — a law
  24. squash — to crush

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