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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · squash · perch · firm · branch · rash · nail · pass

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. squash — the sport
  3. rest — what's left
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. squash — to crush
  7. firm — steady
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pass — a permit
  10. branch — a division
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. firm — a company
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rash — a series
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rest — a break
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. firm — decided
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rest — what's left
  24. squash — the vegetable

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