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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: track · pit · dip · spring · swing · arm · firm · file

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. track — a path
  3. pit — in a race
  4. file — a line of people
  5. spring — the season
  6. file — a tool
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. swing — to play on
  11. firm — decided
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. swing — music
  14. pit — a hole
  15. track — a song
  16. spring — a coil
  17. firm — a company
  18. file — a document
  19. dip — to sink
  20. track — to keep track
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. firm — steady
  23. swing — in golf
  24. arm — part of the body

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