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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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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 · content · fine · net · wake · track · can · rush

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — happy
  4. wake — a trail
  5. can — to be able to
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. track — a song
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fine — all right
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. fine — high quality
  13. net — after costs
  14. track — to keep track
  15. can — a tin
  16. net — for catching
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. net — in sport
  21. track — a path
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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