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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bore — to drill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. snap — to click
  8. bat — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bound — obliged
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. sharp — with an edge

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