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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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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: pass · charge · march · snap · band · fine · jam · press

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. charge — in control
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. march — the month
  10. pass — a permit
  11. band — a ring
  12. march — the month
  13. snap — to click
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. charge — electricity
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. press — a publisher
  20. fine — all right
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. march — music
  23. band — a music group
  24. charge — a price

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