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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.

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: lash · branch · nail · content · tube · degree · track · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. content — the amount
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cap — of ice
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tube — a container
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. degree — an amount
  16. content — happy
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. degree — from a university
  19. track — a song
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. tube — the underground
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. cap — a hat
  24. degree — temperature

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