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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.

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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: ball · face · bulb · nail · suit · content · safe · stem

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. suit — clothes
  3. content — happy
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. face — to point toward
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stem — to come from
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ball — a dance
  19. suit — in cards
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bulb — for light
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — the amount

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