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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · rush · face · content · fan · bay · straw · pass

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. face — to confront
  3. pass — a permit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. spell — magic
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. spell — letters
  11. content — the amount
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. face — to point toward
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. content — happy
  22. rush — hurry
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bay — a horse colour

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