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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: craft · firm · fall · swing · pit · kid · race · bank

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bank — of a river
  3. race — the arms race
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pit — in a race
  6. swing — music
  7. kid — to tease
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. pit — a hole
  11. kid — child
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. fall — the season
  16. race — humankind
  17. fall — to drop
  18. race — a contest
  19. swing — in golf
  20. firm — steady
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. craft — boats

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