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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: roll · fine · charge · net · spell · pass · bear · bass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. charge — a price
  4. fine — all right
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. charge — electricity
  8. net — in sport
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. roll — a list
  12. spell — magic
  13. bass — low music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. roll — a cake
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. charge — in control
  20. net — for catching
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. net — after costs

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