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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: staff · wave · charge · mine · ball · pass · bear · jam

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. charge — in control
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. ball — a dance
  18. charge — a price
  19. bear — the animal
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mine — for digging
  24. staff — employees

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