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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 116 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.

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: fine · land · pass · present · charge · rock · stock · bulb

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. stock — goods
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. charge — in control
  10. stock — shares
  11. present — there
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. land — ground
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. charge — a price
  19. bulb — for light
  20. present — a gift
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. present — the time now
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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