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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
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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: safe · squash · ground · firm · plane · arm · land · bowl

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. firm — steady
  5. ground — a position
  6. plane — a tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. land — to come down
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. ground — crushed
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ground — the earth
  19. land — ground
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. firm — decided
  22. squash — the sport
  23. land — a country
  24. arm — a part of something

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