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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: nail · mark · pound · cap · snap · ball · rash · toast

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mark — a grade
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. snap — to click
  10. toast — bread
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rash — a series
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cap — of ice
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pound — a weight

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