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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.

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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 · spell · arm · patient · rash · lean · firm · court

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rash — a series
  5. date — the fruit
  6. court — of a king
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lean — thin
  14. court — for sport
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rash — hasty
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spell — letters
  21. firm — a company
  22. spell — magic
  23. court — of law
  24. lean — to bend

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