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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 · rash · bat · sharp · bay · charge · nail · calf

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. charge — a price
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — in control
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rash — hasty
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rash — a series
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — clever
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. sharp — exactly

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