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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: racket · bay · cabinet · deal · degree · suit · dip · bark

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. degree — temperature
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to sink
  14. degree — an amount
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. suit — clothes

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