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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: spell · land · face · sharp · nail · cabinet · safe · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bore — to tire
  5. face — part of the head
  6. spell — a short time
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. face — to point toward
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. face — to confront
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. land — ground
  16. spell — letters
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — clever
  21. spell — magic
  22. bore — to drill
  23. land — a country
  24. land — to come down

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