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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.

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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ball — a dance
  6. land — a country
  7. charge — in control
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rest — a break
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. land — ground
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. charge — a price
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ball — a great time
  21. charge — electricity
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bank — for money
  24. land — to come down

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