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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 120 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 · bear · season · mark · pound · pass · fall · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. season — in sport
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. season — of the year
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pound — a weight
  19. charge — in control
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. mark — a trace

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