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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 · object · straw · season · band · fine · pass · nail

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. season — in sport
  4. charge — in control
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. band — a music group
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. season — of the year
  13. object — to protest
  14. charge — electricity
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a ring
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. object — an aim
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. object — a thing
  21. charge — a price
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. nail — for a hammer

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