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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: suit · board · bark · date · nail · rush · pitcher · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. 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. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. board — a committee
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. board — to get on
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bark — to shout
  18. suit — to fit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. date — the fruit
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. 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