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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: last · rule · cue · dip · pit · chip · firm · bark

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — finally
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. last — to go on
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rule — government
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rule — a law
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. chip — for betting
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. firm — decided
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pit — in a race
  20. firm — a company
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. firm — steady
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pit — a hole

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