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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: fork · temple · date · swing · race · stick

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fork — in a road
  5. swing — music
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. race — the arms race
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. race — a contest
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. race — humankind

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