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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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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 · mate · date · perch · pass · squash · snap · arm

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — a friend
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. mate — to breed
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. squash — the sport
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pass — a permit
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. squash — to crush
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. perch — the fish
  20. date — the fruit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. suit — clothes
  24. snap — to click

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