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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: mark · root · pass · charge · rush · cold · bass · pitcher

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bass — the fish
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. charge — in control
  13. root — of a word
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. root — the cause
  18. cold — not warm
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. root — of a plant
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. pitcher — a jug

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