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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 · calf · land · wake · present · rock · staff · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. land — ground
  7. charge — in control
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rock — music
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. present — a gift
  12. land — a country
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. charge — a price
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. present — the time now
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rock — a stone
  22. land — to come down
  23. present — there
  24. staff — employees

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