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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: rash · roll · wave · race · mine · wake · pass · charge

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. charge — a price
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mine — for digging
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — hasty
  8. race — a contest
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. roll — a list
  14. race — the arms race
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. charge — in control
  19. race — humankind
  20. roll — a cake
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. mine — an explosive

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