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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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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. mark — a grade
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. content — happy
  6. drill — the tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. drill — army training
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. content — the amount
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. cap — a hat
  19. mark — a trace
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. snap — to click
  24. wake — a trail

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