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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.

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: chair · arm · sharp · date · foot · safe · roll · rash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. roll — a list
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. sharp — clever
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rash — hasty
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chair — a leader
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. date — the fruit
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. foot — a measure
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rash — a series
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — on a roll

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