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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. object — an aim
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bore — to drill
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. object — to protest
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. snap — to click
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. pass — a permit
  23. object — a thing
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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