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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: firm · deal · spell · cell · face · bowl

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cell — in biology
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. face — part of the head
  8. spell — letters
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. face — to confront
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. firm — steady
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company

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