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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: cap · net · file · track · content · suit · wake · fan

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. file — a document
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cap — a hat
  5. wake — a trail
  6. net — after costs
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — to fit
  10. file — a line of people
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. track — a song
  15. cap — a lid
  16. content — happy
  17. net — for catching
  18. file — a tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. content — the amount
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. net — in sport
  24. track — to keep track

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