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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: row · branch · rash · chip · bass · rest · pass · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bass — low music
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rest — what's left
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. row — a line
  8. branch — a division
  9. bass — the fish
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rash — hasty
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rest — a break
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rest — what's left

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