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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 120 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: straw · pitcher · coach · stand · spell · rush · safe · face

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rush — hurry
  3. spell — letters
  4. face — to point toward
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. face — part of the head
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. face — to confront
  24. straw — a straw man

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