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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 · band · sharp · cell · lie · mate · date · mouse

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. band — a music group
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. sharp — clever
  11. cell — a phone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — a friend
  15. band — a ring
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. date — the fruit
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mate — to breed
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. date — on the calendar

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