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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. firm — steady
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. firm — a company
  5. rule — government
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. firm — decided
  17. fork — in a road
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. cue — a hint
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. cue — a signal
  23. branch — a division
  24. bowl — to roll

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