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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 116 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: rest · rash · branch · pass · land · firm · pit · lie

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. firm — a company
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rash — a series
  6. branch — a division
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. rest — a break
  15. firm — decided
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. firm — steady
  20. land — a country
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. branch — of a tree
  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