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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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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 · toast · race · charge · swing · rule

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. race — humankind
  6. rule — a law
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. swing — music
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. rule — government
  14. race — the arms race
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. race — a contest
  18. toast — bread

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