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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: lash · cue · date · arm · swing · court · hide · fork

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fork — in a road
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. court — of a king
  11. swing — music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. swing — in golf
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. cue — for pool
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. fork — to eat with

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