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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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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: arm · foot · suit · kid · land · cell · plane · chair

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. land — a country
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. suit — clothes
  6. land — ground
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cell — a phone
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. cell — in biology
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. land — to come down
  23. suit — to fit
  24. kid — to tease

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