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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: row · mug · jam · spell · charge · fine · pass · season

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. mug — a face
  3. season — in sport
  4. spell — a short time
  5. row — a line
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mug — to rob
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. row — to paddle
  11. fine — all right
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. charge — electricity
  15. spell — magic
  16. mug — a cup
  17. season — of the year
  18. charge — a price
  19. spell — letters
  20. fine — high quality
  21. charge — in control
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pass — a permit

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