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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: march · fine · saw · pitch · ball · bowl · fork · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. can — a tin
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a dance
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fine — all right
  15. march — music
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. march — the month
  20. pitch — completely
  21. fine — high quality
  22. march — the month
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bowl — a dish

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