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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.

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: temple · bulb · file · deal · spell · wake · pass · face

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. face — to point toward
  4. spell — letters
  5. pass — a permit
  6. file — a tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wake — a trail
  11. file — a document
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. face — part of the head
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. file — a line of people
  24. spell — magic

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