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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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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: bark · temple · cell · key · clip · charge · bulb · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. key — the most important part
  11. clip — to cut
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. key — in music
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. charge — in control
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. clip — a video

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