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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.

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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: pitch · cap · sharp · current · cabinet · mate · content · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mate — a partner
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mate — to breed
  9. current — of water
  10. content — happy
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. content — the amount
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. current — electric
  18. mark — a trace
  19. current — happening now
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mark — a grade

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