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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 116 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: present · deal · pitcher · spring · pit · mark · march · suit

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. mark — a grade
  5. spring — a coil
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. present — the time now
  8. march — the month
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. deal — to handle
  12. march — music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. march — the month
  17. spring — of water
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pit — in a race
  21. spring — the season
  22. present — there
  23. mark — a trace
  24. deal — an agreement

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