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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: sharp · bulb · rush · cell · pass · arm · face · rock

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bulb — for light
  4. face — to point toward
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. face — part of the head
  12. rock — music
  13. face — to confront
  14. sharp — clever
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — a stone
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rush — hurry
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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