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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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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: fan · stand · club · wave · charge · rest · tube · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. tube — a container
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. charge — in control
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. charge — a price
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. club — a group
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rest — what's left
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. charge — electricity
  17. club — for golf
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rest — what's left
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rest — a break

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