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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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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: rash · rest · pit · bass · temple · chip · perch · chair

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rash — a series
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pit — a hole
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. perch — the fish
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bass — the fish
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bass — low music
  20. pit — in a race
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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