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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: firm · club · mark · dip · deal · board · pitcher · rash

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rash — a series
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. club — a group
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mark — a grade
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. club — for golf
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. club — for dancing
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rash — hasty
  21. dip — to sink
  22. deal — to handle
  23. board — a committee
  24. pitcher — a jug

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