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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 · can · file · bass · kick · charge · bulb · march

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. charge — in control
  4. march — the month
  5. can — a tin
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. march — music
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bulb — for light
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bass — low music
  16. charge — a price
  17. can — to be able to
  18. march — the month
  19. file — a document
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — a tin
  22. file — a tool
  23. kick — in football
  24. charge — electricity

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