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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pass — a permit
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. face — part of the head
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. face — to confront
  8. key — in music
  9. spell — a short time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. spell — magic
  16. face — to point toward
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fall — to drop
  20. spell — letters
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fall — the season
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. key — the most important part

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