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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: row · chip · arm · date · court · lash · suit · mate

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. row — a line
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. date — the fruit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. suit — in cards
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. court — for sport
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mate — a partner
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. chip — to eat
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — of law
  24. row — a quarrel

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