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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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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: jam · snap · bore · temple · key · kick · bear · plane

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bore — to tire
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. key — for a lock
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. key — the most important part
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. snap — to click
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bear — the animal
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. key — in music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. plane — a tool
  22. kick — in football
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. plane — an aircraft

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