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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · safe · content · face · shower · arm · wake · land

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spell — letters
  5. land — a country
  6. spell — magic
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. shower — rain
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. content — the amount
  12. land — to come down
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. face — to confront
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spell — a short time
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. land — ground
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. content — happy
  24. arm — a part of something

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