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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: pound · game · stand · safe · pop · mine · fine · hide

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. game — a match
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pop — music
  12. game — wild animals
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mine — for digging
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stand — to bear
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — an explosive

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