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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 120 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: rush · pass · mine · stock · row · suit · lash · charge

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. rush — hurry
  3. charge — electricity
  4. suit — clothes
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. charge — a price
  9. row — to paddle
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stock — shares
  15. row — a line
  16. stock — goods
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. mine — for digging
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. charge — in control
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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