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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: date · chest · can · stand · suit · mate · wax · arm

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. can — to be able to
  4. date — the fruit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. chest — of your body
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. suit — clothes
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. wax — to grow
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. can — a tin
  22. stand — to bear
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — a partner

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