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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 120 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: arm · leaves · spell · stick · mate · bear · cue · suit

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mate — a partner
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. spell — magic
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bear — the animal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mate — a friend
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. spell — letters
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. suit — in cards

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