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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.

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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 · drill · bass · root · safe · pop · fine · face

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bass — low music
  6. spell — magic
  7. pop — music
  8. spell — a short time
  9. drill — a practice
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — to confront
  13. drill — army training
  14. fine — all right
  15. root — the cause
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. root — of a word
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. spell — letters
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. drill — the tool
  24. root — of a plant

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