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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 · pitch · mine · face · object · temple · plane · rush

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. object — to protest
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — a tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mine — for digging
  21. object — an aim
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. temple — a place of worship

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