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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. toast — bread
  6. date — the fruit
  7. mug — a face
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bound — certain
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mate — a partner
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bound — tied together

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