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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · charge · file · pass · land · fine · fan · fall

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. pass — a permit
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fall — the season
  7. charge — in control
  8. land — ground
  9. file — a document
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. land — a country
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fall — to drop
  16. charge — a price
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. land — to come down
  19. fine — all right
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fall — to drop
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rest — what's left

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