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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: wave · pit · rest · bass · charge · rule · plane · chip

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. charge — electricity
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rule — a law
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pit — a hole
  10. charge — in control
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bass — low music
  15. charge — a price
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rule — government
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pit — in a race
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. wave — with your hand

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