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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: rock · pit · race · ruler · date · ball · pound · mine

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pound — a weight
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rock — music

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