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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.

Make a worksheet

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: current · rash · last · cell · tear · pass · bass · charge

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cell — a phone
  5. last — finally
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. bass — the fish
  11. tear — to rip
  12. rash — a series
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rash — hasty
  17. current — electric
  18. bass — low music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. charge — in control
  21. cell — in biology
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. last — final

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