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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wake — a trail
  4. race — humankind
  5. pit — in a race
  6. date — the fruit
  7. toast — bread
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. suit — in cards
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. race — a contest
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. race — the arms race
  24. suit — to fit

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