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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: firm · lash · race · bear · date · bay · wound · vault

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. firm — a company
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. firm — steady
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wound — an injury
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bear — the animal
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — a contest
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. firm — decided
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — an eyelash

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