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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: last · date · pit · vault · firm · suit · fine · board

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — to fit
  3. firm — steady
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. date — the fruit
  8. pit — a hole
  9. last — final
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fine — all right
  12. firm — decided
  13. board — to get on
  14. suit — clothes
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. last — to go on
  17. pit — in a race
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. last — finally
  22. board — a committee
  23. fine — high quality
  24. firm — a company

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