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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: pit · track · content · wind · face · mug · snap · nail

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. face — part of the head
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. face — to confront
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wind — moving air
  8. face — to point toward
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. mug — a face
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mug — to rob
  13. track — a song
  14. content — the amount
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pit — a hole
  17. wind — moving air
  18. content — happy
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. track — a path
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mug — a cup
  24. snap — to click

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