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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
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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: mug · land · track · roll · hide · hand · temple · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mug — to rob
  3. land — to come down
  4. mug — a face
  5. hand — in cards
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. hand — help
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. land — ground
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. land — a country
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. track — a path
  21. mug — a cup
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. roll — a list

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