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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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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: race · ruler · foot · jam · season · bay · date · pitcher

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. foot — a measure
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. race — the arms race
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. date — the fruit
  16. season — of the year
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. season — in sport
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — a contest

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