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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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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: toast · bay · scale · cell · safe · saw · root · face

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. root — the cause
  8. toast — bread
  9. saw — the tool
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. root — of a plant
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. face — to confront
  14. saw — the tool
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. root — of a word
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. face — to point toward
  24. scale — in music

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