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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — for a lock
  4. row — to paddle
  5. key — in music
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. snap — to click
  14. track — a path
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. dip — to sink
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. row — a line
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. dip — to dunk

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