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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: present · fork · rule · craft · mark · pitch · ball · snap

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mark — a grade
  3. present — there
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rule — a law
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fork — in a road
  12. snap — to click
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rule — government
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. present — a gift
  21. ball — a dance
  22. craft — boats
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. present — the time now

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