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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: degree · safe · firm · date · arm · pit · rash · jam

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — steady
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pit — a hole
  11. firm — a company
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rash — a series
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pit — in a race
  20. degree — from a university
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. degree — an amount
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. firm — decided

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