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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.

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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 · face · land · bay · race · shower · bound · plane

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bound — tied together
  4. race — a contest
  5. bound — certain
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. race — the arms race
  9. face — to point toward
  10. land — ground
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. shower — to wash
  15. race — humankind
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. land — to come down
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. face — part of the head
  20. plane — a tool
  21. face — to confront
  22. land — a country
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bound — obliged

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