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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: mark · pop · wake · saw · fine · roll · capital · pitch

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. capital — money
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pop — soda
  17. fine — all right
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pop — to visit
  20. roll — a list
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. pop — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. capital — a city

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