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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: nail · mark · can · snap · bulb · content · board · rock

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. board — a committee
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. snap — to click
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. content — the amount
  10. can — a tin
  11. rock — a stone
  12. content — happy
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. can — a tin
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. rock — music
  19. board — to get on
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mark — a grade
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mark — a trace

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