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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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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. track — a song
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. key — in music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. content — the amount
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. content — happy
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. track — to keep track
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. track — a path
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. toast — bread
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. snap — to click
  24. branch — a division

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