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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cell · leaves · wave · plane · last · sharp · cap · bulb

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cap — a hat
  10. sharp — clever
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cap — of ice
  19. last — to go on
  20. cell — in biology
  21. last — final
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. last — finally
  24. wave — of the sea

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