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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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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 · pitch · safe · jam · arm · bear · calf · wave

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. land — a country
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bear — the animal
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. land — ground
  9. land — to come down
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. wave — of the sea

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