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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: charge · race · fan · pass · tube · file · bay · rest

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  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. file — a document
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. tube — a container
  4. file — a tool
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rest — what's left
  13. charge — in control
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. race — humankind
  19. charge — a price
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. race — a contest
  22. file — a line of people
  23. race — the arms race
  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