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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.

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: game · coach · plane · lie · current · safe · ball · roll

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — a tool
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. current — electric
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. current — happening now
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. roll — a cake
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. roll — a list
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. game — a match
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. current — of water
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lie — to recline

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