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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 116 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: land · key · object · spell · club · track · mate · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. key — in music
  3. spell — magic
  4. club — for golf
  5. track — a song
  6. face — to point toward
  7. land — a country
  8. track — a path
  9. object — a thing
  10. spell — a short time
  11. mate — to breed
  12. track — to keep track
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. spell — letters
  16. land — to come down
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. club — a group
  20. mate — a partner
  21. face — to confront
  22. club — for dancing
  23. land — ground
  24. mate — a friend

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