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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: charge · rush · band · tube · mark · firm · present · pass

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. tube — the underground
  3. charge — in control
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. present — there
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. present — the time now
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mark — a trace
  17. band — a music group
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. band — a ring
  20. charge — a price
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. present — a gift
  23. tube — a container
  24. pass — a permit

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