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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: can · rock · snap · bear · content · nail · bass · season

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. can — a tin
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rock — music
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bass — low music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. snap — to click
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. season — in sport
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. season — of the year
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bear — the animal
  19. can — to be able to
  20. content — happy
  21. can — a tin
  22. content — the amount
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bear — the animal

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