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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: suit · bat · pitch · bear · deal · rule · bark · kick

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rule — a law
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rule — government
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bear — the animal
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bat — the animal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pitch — completely
  23. kick — in football
  24. suit — to fit

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