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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: charge · spell · bowl · bass · leaves · chip · pass · squash

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bass — low music
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bass — the fish
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. charge — a price
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pass — a permit
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. squash — the sport
  24. spell — a short time

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