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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: degree · pass · last · charge · club · coach · root · lean

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. last — final
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. charge — a price
  9. root — the cause
  10. lean — thin
  11. root — of a plant
  12. degree — temperature
  13. charge — electricity
  14. last — finally
  15. last — to go on
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. club — for golf
  18. charge — in control
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. degree — from a university
  23. root — of a word
  24. degree — an amount

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