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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
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: stick · stand · content · key · spell · face · racket · shower

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. shower — rain
  3. face — to confront
  4. spell — magic
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. face — to point toward
  11. content — the amount
  12. face — part of the head
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. key — the most important part
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. shower — to wash
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. key — for a lock

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