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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. charge — a price
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lean — thin
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pass — a permit
  9. track — a path
  10. charge — in control
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. track — a song
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. current — happening now
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. current — electric
  20. lean — to bend
  21. current — of water
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bowl — a dish

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