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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: tear · wake · racket · pitch · deal · suit

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wake — a trail
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tear — from crying
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. tear — from crying
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. suit — in cards
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle

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