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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: prune · suit · bound · mate · hide · arm · vault · date

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. suit — in cards
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. date — the fruit
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mate — to breed
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. prune — to trim
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mate — a partner
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bound — tied together
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — a safe
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. prune — to trim
  24. hide — animal 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