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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 120 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.

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: saw · chair · safe · mouse · root · pitcher · plane · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. root — of a plant
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. plane — a tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. root — of a word
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chair — a leader
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. root — the cause
  24. safe — a strongbox

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