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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 120 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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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: deal · pit · pitcher · plane · bound · firm · object · race

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bound — tied together
  3. race — humankind
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. race — a contest
  6. bound — certain
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. object — an aim
  10. pit — a hole
  11. firm — steady
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. firm — decided
  14. object — to protest
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bound — obliged
  17. plane — a tool
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. object — a thing
  23. race — the arms race
  24. pit — in a race

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