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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: mate · land · charge · pass · firm · wound · bowl · bay

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. firm — decided
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. firm — steady
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. wound — an injury
  11. land — a country
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pass — a permit
  19. firm — a company
  20. charge — in control
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. charge — electricity
  23. land — to come down
  24. charge — a price

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