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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 116 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
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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: net · track · wind · content · squash · safe · nail · fine

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. track — a song
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. net — for catching
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fine — high quality
  9. content — the amount
  10. squash — to crush
  11. track — to keep track
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wind — moving air
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fine — all right
  20. content — happy
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. track — a path
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. net — after costs

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