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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 120 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: mug · bark · cue · deal · pit · racket · rule · firm

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mug — a face
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mug — to rob
  8. cue — a signal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mug — a cup
  11. rule — government
  12. pit — in a race
  13. cue — a hint
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. cue — for pool
  21. rule — a law
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bark — to shout
  24. racket — a loud noise

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