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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stand — to bear
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mark — a trace
  8. court — for sport
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. branch — a division
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. court — of a king
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. court — of law
  22. mark — a grade
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. lash — an eyelash

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