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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: rest · bulb · cue · charge · pass · race · coach · root

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. charge — in control
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rest — a break
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bulb — for light
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. root — of a word
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. race — a contest
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rest — what's left
  20. root — the cause
  21. charge — a price
  22. race — humankind
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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