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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · mine · content · land · pass · hide · mouse · lean

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. content — the amount
  11. lean — to bend
  12. content — happy
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. land — a country
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lean — thin
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — for digging
  23. land — ground
  24. mine — belonging to me

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