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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 · pit · mark · date · swing · stick · leaves · race

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — a company
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. race — a contest
  7. swing — music
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. firm — steady
  10. race — humankind
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. swing — to play on
  14. firm — decided
  15. pit — a hole
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. swing — in golf
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. race — the arms race
  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