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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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Word bank
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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: fine · craft · firm · pass · land · chest · pitch · race

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. land — a country
  7. pitch — completely
  8. firm — a company
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. land — to come down
  13. fine — high quality
  14. craft — boats
  15. firm — steady
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. craft — a skill
  19. chest — a box
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pass — a permit
  23. firm — decided
  24. land — ground

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