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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: suit · cue · spell · arm · march · date · last · sharp

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cue — for pool
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. march — the month
  7. spell — letters
  8. sharp — clever
  9. cue — a signal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. march — music
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — final
  14. suit — clothes
  15. spell — magic
  16. suit — in cards
  17. last — finally
  18. cue — a hint
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. suit — to fit
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. march — the month
  24. date — the fruit

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