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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · firm · pit · bowl · mug · charge · deal · bark

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. charge — in control
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mug — a face
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. firm — steady
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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