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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
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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: ball · track · toast · pass · charge · season · rash · pit

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. season — of the year
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rash — hasty
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. toast — bread
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ball — a dance
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pass — a permit
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — in sport
  22. track — a path
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ball — a great 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