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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kid · fan · track · content · row · tube · rash · snap

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rash — a series
  3. row — a line
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. track — a song
  7. snap — to click
  8. kid — child
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rash — hasty
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. content — happy
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. kid — to tease
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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