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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.

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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: squash · safe · plane · cell · arm · pitcher · chest · pit

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. plane — a tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cell — in biology
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. squash — the sport
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pit — a hole
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cell — a phone
  21. chest — of your body
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. cell — in a prison

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