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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 · pit · rule · mug · bound · prune · club · ground

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. pit — in a race
  3. club — for golf
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rule — a law
  7. mug — a cup
  8. deal — to handle
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mug — to rob
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. club — for dancing
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mug — a face
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rule — government
  18. bound — obliged
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ground — a position
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bound — certain

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