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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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Word bank
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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: mate · present · snap · court · nail · stem · fine · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mate — a partner
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to click
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — for sport
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. present — the time now
  12. stem — to come from
  13. present — a gift
  14. fine — all right
  15. mate — a friend
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mate — to breed
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. present — there
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. court — of law
  24. bore — to tire

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