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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: race · firm · wake · fine · dip · net · stand · pit

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pit — a hole
  4. net — after costs
  5. firm — a company
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. dip — to sink
  9. fine — high quality
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wake — a trail
  17. race — humankind
  18. firm — steady
  19. race — a contest
  20. fine — all right
  21. firm — decided
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. race — the arms 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