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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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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: dip · craft · mine · nail · snap · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. track — a path
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. mine — for digging
  9. craft — a skill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. craft — boats
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. track — to keep track
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mine — an explosive

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