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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: deal · file · pitch · race · safe · cue · bark · rock

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cue — for pool
  4. file — a tool
  5. race — a contest
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. race — humankind
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bark — to shout
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pitch — completely
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rock — music
  22. file — a document
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. deal — a big deal

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