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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: scale · rush · spell · pit · fan · bay · perch · face

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rush — hurry
  3. scale — in music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. spell — a short time
  6. scale — size or range
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. spell — magic
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pit — in a race
  17. spell — letters
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pit — a hole
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. face — to confront

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