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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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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: pass · chip · bass · bark · bowl · lean · racket · mine

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bass — the fish
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bass — low music
  24. mine — an explosive

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