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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.

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: pitcher · plane · arm · pit · stem · safe · jam · land

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stem — to come from
  6. plane — a tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. land — to come down
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. land — ground
  18. land — a country
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pit — a hole
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pit — in a race

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