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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: date · mark · saw · calf · content · key · snap · nail

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mark — a trace
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. content — the amount
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. saw — the tool
  17. content — happy
  18. snap — to click
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. date — the fruit
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mark — to pay attention

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