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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: bark · nail · foot · stock · track · cap · cue · snap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. track — a song
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. cue — for pool
  9. track — to keep track
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cap — a lid
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cap — a hat
  16. snap — to click
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bark — to shout
  22. track — a path
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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