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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: cell · bulb · craft · perch · sharp · pass · lash · temple

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. perch — the fish
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. craft — boats
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cell — in biology
  19. pass — a permit
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cell — a phone
  24. lash — to lash out

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