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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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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: can · perch · snap · jam · mate · toast · track · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. track — a song
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fall — the season
  9. can — to be able to
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mate — a partner
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. toast — bread
  18. can — a tin
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fall — to drop
  24. can — a tin

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