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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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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: track · spell · tube · ground · mark · can · snap · ruler

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ground — a position
  4. spell — letters
  5. snap — to click
  6. can — a tin
  7. tube — a container
  8. track — a path
  9. spell — magic
  10. track — a song
  11. ground — the earth
  12. mark — a grade
  13. can — to be able to
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. tube — the underground
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. can — a tin
  24. spell — a short time

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