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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 · race · rest · toast · pitch · spring · swing · jam

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. firm — decided
  3. toast — bread
  4. spring — a coil
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. firm — steady
  11. rest — what's left
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. spring — of water
  14. race — humankind
  15. rest — a break
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rest — what's left
  18. race — a contest
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. firm — a company
  22. swing — to play on
  23. spring — the season
  24. toast — the most admired

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