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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
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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: face · foot · racket · spell · trunk · key · scale · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. foot — a measure
  6. face — to confront
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. key — the most important part
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. spell — a short time
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. race — a contest
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. spell — letters
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. spell — magic
  21. scale — size or range
  22. key — in music
  23. race — humankind
  24. racket — for tennis

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