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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. charge — a price
  3. pass — a permit
  4. charge — electricity
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. drill — army training
  8. cap — a hat
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. band — a music group
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. band — a ring
  13. swing — in golf
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cap — of ice
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. swing — to play on
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. drill — the tool
  21. charge — in control
  22. bark — to shout
  23. drill — a practice
  24. swing — music

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