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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 · craft · pitch · leaves · capital · suit

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. deal — to handle
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. capital — a city
  8. suit — clothes
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. craft — boats
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. capital — money

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