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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: capital · face · snap · fork · bay · bowl · track · can

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. track — a song
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. can — a tin
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. track — a path
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. capital — money
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. capital — a city
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. can — a tin
  24. snap — to click

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