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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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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: plane · mark · bound · jam · scale · safe · wake · arm

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bound — certain
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wake — a trail
  11. plane — a tool
  12. scale — in music
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. scale — size or range
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. arm — 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