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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bore — to drill
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pit — in a race
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pit — a hole
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. charge — in control
  18. snap — to click
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bore — to tire
  23. charge — a price
  24. safe — out of danger

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