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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: ball · fine · net · safe · bulb · temple · land · current

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. net — for catching
  3. fine — all right
  4. land — a country
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. net — in sport
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fine — high quality
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. current — electric
  15. net — after costs
  16. current — happening now
  17. land — to come down
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. current — of water
  24. land — ground

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