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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 112 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 · race · last · current · rash · charge · vault · band

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. band — a ring
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. race — the arms race
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. charge — in control
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rash — a series
  14. current — electric
  15. race — humankind
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. vault — a safe
  20. charge — a price
  21. rash — hasty
  22. band — a music group
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. race — a contest

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