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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: arm · safe · game · chair · ball · saw · spell · bowl

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. spell — a short time
  7. saw — the tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chair — a leader
  10. ball — a great time
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. saw — the tool
  15. spell — magic
  16. game — wild animals
  17. spell — letters
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. game — a match
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. safe — out of danger

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