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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: pass · face · suit · object · root · bulb · sharp · saw

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — in cards
  6. object — a thing
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. object — an aim
  9. root — the cause
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. saw — the tool
  12. root — of a word
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. face — to confront
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pass — a permit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. suit — to fit
  23. face — to point toward
  24. root — of a plant

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