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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
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 · mate · firm · current · cap · pitch · mark · craft

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pitch — completely
  7. march — the month
  8. current — electric
  9. cap — a lid
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. mate — to breed
  14. march — the month
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mate — a friend
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. march — music
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. craft — boats
  22. current — of water
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. current — happening 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