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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: pitch · rule · content · spell · ruler · pit · bear · deal

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pitch — completely
  6. spell — magic
  7. rule — government
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. deal — to handle
  11. spell — letters
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. content — happy
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. content — the amount
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rule — a law
  24. pit — a hole

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