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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: face · pit · nail · spell · scale · safe · bound · fan

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. spell — letters
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pit — a hole
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spell — a short time
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. spell — magic
  18. bound — tied together
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bound — certain
  21. face — part of the head
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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