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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: bowl · land · stick · track · plane · kid · safe · cabinet

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — a country
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. track — to keep track
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. land — ground
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. track — a song
  14. kid — child
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. track — a path
  21. kid — to tease
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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