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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: content · nail · band · rash · net · mark · snap · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — a series
  6. net — after costs
  7. content — the amount
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. cue — a signal
  11. snap — to click
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. net — in sport
  14. mark — a trace
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mark — a grade
  18. net — for catching
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. cue — a hint
  21. content — happy
  22. rash — hasty
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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