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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.

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: net · face · bass · safe · rock · mine · patient · craft

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. face — to confront
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. craft — a skill
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mine — for digging
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rock — music
  22. craft — boats
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. net — in sport

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