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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: root · sharp · pit · pass · face · squash · rest · charge

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rest — a break
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pit — in a race
  8. sharp — clever
  9. squash — to crush
  10. root — the cause
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. root — of a word
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. charge — in control
  18. pit — a hole
  19. face — to confront
  20. charge — electricity
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pass — a permit
  23. charge — a price
  24. root — of a plant

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