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

Word bank: temple · fine · bore · snap · fork · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bore — to drill
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fork — in a road
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to click
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. present — a gift
  14. bore — to tire
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality

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