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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: rash · arm · pass · kick · date · saw · suit · tube

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rash — hasty
  4. date — the fruit
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pass — a permit
  8. suit — to fit
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rash — a series
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. suit — in cards
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. kick — in football
  21. tube — a container
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rash — on the skin

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