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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: firm · tear · bay · toast · pitch · racket · cue · bark

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. firm — steady
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cue — a signal
  14. firm — a company
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bark — to shout
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pitch — completely
  21. firm — decided
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. cue — a hint

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