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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.

Make a worksheet

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: safe · racket · field · wave · spell · ball · face · firm

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. spell — magic
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. firm — steady
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. face — to confront
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. field — a subject
  12. face — part of the head
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. firm — a company
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. field — for sport
  20. firm — decided
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. racket — a loud noise

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