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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: file · track · snap · content · lash · suit · present · sharp

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. track — a path
  5. suit — to fit
  6. present — a gift
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — the amount
  9. file — a line of people
  10. present — the time now
  11. content — happy
  12. track — to keep track
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. track — a song
  16. file — a document
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. file — a tool
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. present — there

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