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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.

Make a worksheet

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: land · mine · roll · stick · bass · plane · safe · temple

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bass — the fish
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. roll — a list
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — a tool
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. roll — a cake
  20. land — ground
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bass — low music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. temple — side of the head

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