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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.

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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: fine · mark · sharp · object · bore · craft · pitch · hide

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. sharp — clever
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. object — a thing
  8. pitch — completely
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. craft — a skill
  15. object — an aim
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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