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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: game · charge · firm · wind · present · lean · tube · pass

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. firm — a company
  3. charge — in control
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. charge — electricity
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. firm — steady
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lean — thin
  11. tube — the underground
  12. lean — to bend
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. game — a match
  19. firm — decided
  20. present — there
  21. charge — a price
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. tube — a container
  24. pass — to spend time

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