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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mark — a grade
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bore — to drill
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bore — to tire
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fine — all right
  24. snap — to click

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