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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: pop · mark · content · cap · trunk · rush · nail · hide

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pop — to visit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pop — music
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. cap — a hat
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pop — soda
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rush — hurry
  22. cap — a lid
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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