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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: mark · saw · jam · date · pit · race · mouse · pass

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  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. mark — to pay attention
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. race — a contest
  15. mark — a trace
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. pass — a permit
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pit — a hole
  21. race — humankind
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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