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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: rule · staff · charge · firm · pass · swing · fall · bank

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. staff — employees
  3. charge — a price
  4. bank — of a river
  5. firm — decided
  6. charge — in control
  7. staff — a stick
  8. swing — music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — a company
  12. bank — for money
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fall — the season
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rule — government
  18. firm — steady
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bank — for money
  24. staff — employees

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