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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: suit · cap · arm · pass · mate · deal · chair · tear

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. cap — a hat
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. suit — clothes
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. tear — to rip
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pass — a permit
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. mate — a friend
  19. tear — from crying
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. tear — from crying
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. suit — to fit

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