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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
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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: land · hide · foot · cabinet · jam · arm · row · plane

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. land — ground
  8. land — to come down
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. row — a line
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. row — to paddle
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. plane — a tool
  23. land — a country
  24. foot — part of the body

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