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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: march · deal · hide · content · wound · pitch · firm · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. firm — decided
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. march — the month
  5. deal — to handle
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. march — music
  8. content — happy
  9. firm — steady
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wound — an injury
  12. march — the month
  13. firm — a company
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pitch — completely
  16. craft — boats
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. hide — to keep secret

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