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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.

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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: arm · chip · chair · coach · stand · row · pound · safe

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. row — to paddle
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. chair — a leader
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chip — for betting
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. row — a line
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pound — a weight
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — on your feet

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