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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: bulb · file · sharp · root · pass · spell · face · bore

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bore — to drill
  3. spell — magic
  4. pass — a permit
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. root — the cause
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. root — of a word
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bulb — for light
  17. file — a document
  18. spell — a short time
  19. face — to point toward
  20. root — of a plant
  21. spell — letters
  22. bore — to tire
  23. sharp — clever
  24. file — a tool

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