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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · ball · drill · safe · pass · fork · land · roll

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fork — in a road
  3. land — to come down
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. drill — army training
  6. roll — a list
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ball — a dance
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ball — a great time
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. land — ground
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. land — a country
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. roll — a cake

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