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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: sharp · object · craft · band · safe · arm · spring · chair

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spring — the season
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. object — an aim
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — a leader
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. object — to protest
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. object — a thing
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a ring
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spring — of water
  24. craft — a skill

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