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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 · pass · pitch · charge · last · fan · rock · current

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. last — final
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. root — the cause
  10. last — to go on
  11. charge — electricity
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pass — a permit
  14. current — electric
  15. rock — music
  16. root — of a word
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. last — finally
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. rock — a stone

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