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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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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: wave · content · wake · track · snap · present · nail · deal

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. snap — to click
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. present — the time now
  8. track — a path
  9. content — happy
  10. track — a song
  11. content — the amount
  12. present — a gift
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wake — a trail
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. present — there
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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