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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: suit · content · wake · dip · march · arm · court · staff

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. staff — a stick
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. staff — employees
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. march — the month
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. suit — to fit
  11. court — for sport
  12. staff — employees
  13. dip — to sink
  14. court — of a king
  15. suit — in cards
  16. court — of law
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — clothes
  22. content — happy
  23. wake — a trail
  24. march — music

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