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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 120 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: leaves · safe · staff · bowl · cap · drill · arm · land

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cap — a lid
  5. drill — army training
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. land — to come down
  9. staff — employees
  10. drill — a practice
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. staff — employees
  13. cap — of ice
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. land — ground
  16. cap — a hat
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. land — a country
  23. drill — the tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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