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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 · date · board · root · pit · swing · race · fork

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. root — the cause
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — music
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pit — in a race
  13. race — the arms race
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rock — music
  16. date — the fruit
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. race — a contest
  20. root — of a word
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. root — of a plant
  24. date — on the calendar

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