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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: present · mark · firm · can · pitcher · march · rush · roll

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. roll — a cake
  4. mark — a trace
  5. present — the time now
  6. can — a tin
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. roll — a list
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. present — there
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. firm — decided
  16. rush — hurry
  17. march — the month
  18. can — to be able to
  19. firm — steady
  20. present — a gift
  21. mark — a grade
  22. march — music
  23. firm — a company
  24. roll — on a roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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