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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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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: degree · pass · temple · bark · nail · rush · fan · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. degree — from a university
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pass — a permit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. degree — temperature
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bark — to shout
  20. degree — an amount
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rush — hurry

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