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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: date · board · vault · calf · race · pit · file · pass

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. file — a tool
  3. board — a committee
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. race — humankind
  10. file — a document
  11. board — to get on
  12. file — a line of people
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pass — a permit
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pit — a hole
  21. vault — a safe
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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