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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: ball · bay · deal · fan · safe · mate · face · lash

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. mate — a friend
  11. ball — a great time
  12. face — part of the head
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. face — to confront
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. face — to point toward
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ball — a dance
  24. deal — to handle

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