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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 120 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: snap · bear · rush · key · nail · perch · bore · chest

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — the animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. snap — to click
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chest — of your body
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chest — a box
  18. rush — hurry
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. chest — of your body
  21. key — in music
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. key — the most important part
  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