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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · pass · date · rush · wax · bulb · content · cell

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. content — the amount
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. date — the fruit
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. file — a document
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. file — a line of people

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