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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 116 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: bear · rash · firm · cell · pitch · pit · mug · rule

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. firm — a company
  3. rule — government
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cell — a phone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. rash — hasty
  10. firm — steady
  11. cell — in biology
  12. mug — a face
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. firm — decided
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rule — a law
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rash — a series
  24. bear — to put up with

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