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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. track — a path
  5. chip — to eat
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. suit — clothes
  9. track — to keep track
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pound — a weight
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cell — in biology
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. content — happy
  21. pass — a permit
  22. content — the amount
  23. track — a song
  24. pass — to succeed

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