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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · stick · cabinet · saw · charge · bass · pass · rule

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. spell — magic
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rule — government
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. spell — letters
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. charge — electricity
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bass — low music
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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