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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.

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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: march · chair · ruler · land · safe · row · suit · foot

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. land — ground
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. suit — to fit
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. march — the month
  8. land — a country
  9. row — to paddle
  10. suit — clothes
  11. march — music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — a line
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. land — to come down
  21. chair — a leader
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. march — the month

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