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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 116 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: cap · object · cabinet · net · pop · nail · wake · track

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. net — in sport
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pop — soda
  5. wake — a trail
  6. net — for catching
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. object — an aim
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. net — after costs
  11. pop — music
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pop — to visit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. object — to protest
  24. cap — of ice

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