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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fan · snap · racket · net · date · saw · bowl · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to click
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. saw — the tool
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — for catching
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. net — in sport
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. saw — the tool

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