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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: trunk · scale · snap · track · pop · mouse · present · object

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. object — an aim
  5. track — a path
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. scale — size or range
  11. snap — to click
  12. pop — music
  13. track — a song
  14. pop — to visit
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. pop — soda
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. present — the time now
  21. scale — in music
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. trunk — of a car

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