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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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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: bore · can · hand · snap · ruler · suit · bear · prune

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. bear — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hand — help
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. suit — in cards
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. suit — to fit
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. can — a tin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — clothes
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bore — to drill
  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