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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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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. shower — to wash
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — music
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pop — soda
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stock — shares
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. snap — to click
  17. stock — goods
  18. shower — rain
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bore — gave birth

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