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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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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: march · kick · pitch · saw · mark · fine · nail · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. march — the month
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. march — music
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pitch — completely
  16. kick — in football
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fine — all right
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mark — a grade
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. march — the month
  23. fine — high quality
  24. kick — a thrill

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