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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: bore · fine · key · wax · mouse · pop · snap · chest

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bore — to tire
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. key — in music
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bore — to drill
  14. snap — to click
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chest — a box
  17. pop — music
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pop — soda
  24. wax — for sculpting

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