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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: game · bank · bass · lash · face · ground · land · safe

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bank — for money
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bass — the fish
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. land — a country
  9. face — to point toward
  10. land — ground
  11. ground — crushed
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bass — low music
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bank — for money
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bank — of a river
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. face — to confront
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. game — a match
  24. land — to come down

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