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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: rule · key · content · perch · face · stem · spell · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. face — to point toward
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rule — a law
  6. spell — letters
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. content — the amount
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. face — part of the head
  17. key — the most important part
  18. face — to confront
  19. spell — magic
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. perch — the fish
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stem — to come from
  24. key — in music

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