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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.

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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: rock · snap · pound · pass · wake · trunk · fan · content

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. content — the amount
  4. pound — a weight
  5. snap — to click
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. rock — music
  24. content — happy

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