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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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468
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: leaves · nail · kick · mate · snap · lean · bound · drill

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bound — certain
  3. mate — a partner
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bound — obliged
  9. mate — a friend
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mate — to breed
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. snap — to click
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bound — tied together
  19. drill — army training
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. drill — the tool

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