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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: safe · fine · row · fan · plane · hand · roll · rock

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. roll — a list
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. row — a line
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. rock — music
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — a stone
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. roll — a cake
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hand — in cards
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. hand — help
  24. row — to paddle

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