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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: mark · snap · pit · field · firm · craft · fine · cap

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. field — for sport
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — a company
  5. cap — of ice
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cap — a hat
  8. firm — steady
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. snap — to click
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. craft — boats
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pit — a hole
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. mark — a trace
  18. firm — decided
  19. field — a subject
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. pit — in a race
  24. field — farmland

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