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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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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: pit · trunk · face · spell · fork · board · straw · safe

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. spell — magic
  4. pit — a hole
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. spell — a short time
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. face — to confront
  10. board — a committee
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. spell — letters
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fork — in a road
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. board — to get on
  24. safe — out of danger

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