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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: rock · bat · mine · safe · craft · net · face · bay

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rock — a stone
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. face — to confront
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bat — the animal
  11. net — for catching
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. net — after costs
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rock — music
  17. net — in sport
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. face — to point toward

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