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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: club · stick · foot · track · snap · rock · can · sharp

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. can — a tin
  4. foot — a measure
  5. club — for golf
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — a song
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. sharp — clever
  12. can — to be able to
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rock — music
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. track — a path
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — a group
  23. track — to keep track
  24. sharp — with an edge

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