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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · rest · charge · press · pass · season · cap · fan

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. charge — in control
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — a price
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. season — of the year
  11. press — to push
  12. season — in sport
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. press — a publisher
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bark — to shout
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rest — a break
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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