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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: fall · charge · bear · wind · cap · swing · pass · toast

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cap — a lid
  5. fall — the season
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. swing — music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. charge — a price
  13. wind — moving air
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wind — moving air
  16. toast — bread
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. swing — in golf
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bear — to put up with

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