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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.

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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: bass · stand · pitch · charge · pass · spell · rush · cold

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pass — a permit
  4. spell — magic
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cold — not warm
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bass — low music
  13. cold — an illness
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. charge — a price
  21. stand — to bear
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. spell — letters

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