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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.

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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: cap · plane · arm · ground · safe · mine · mug · cell

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — for digging
  5. ground — a position
  6. cap — a lid
  7. mug — to rob
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mug — a cup
  14. cell — in biology
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. ground — the earth
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. mug — a face
  23. cell — a phone
  24. arm — part of the body

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