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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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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: charge · firm · pass · cap · cabinet · bowl · roll · race

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cap — a lid
  6. roll — a list
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. firm — steady
  9. race — a contest
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. firm — a company
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pass — a permit
  14. roll — a cake
  15. firm — decided
  16. charge — a price
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. race — humankind
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. race — the arms race
  24. cap — of ice

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