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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: spell · saw · stand · mouse · chair · cabinet · mate · arm

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — a friend
  3. saw — the tool
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. saw — the tool
  15. spell — magic
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mate — to breed
  18. spell — letters
  19. chair — a leader
  20. spell — a short time
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cabinet — ministers

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