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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: suit · saw · bore · ball · hide · content · snap · firm

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. firm — a company
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a great time
  12. firm — decided
  13. ball — a dance
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. snap — to click
  19. content — happy
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. suit — clothes
  23. firm — steady
  24. ball — a round shape

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