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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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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: nail · bulb · coach · bear · bore · pit · snap · drill

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pit — in a race
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bore — to drill
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pit — a hole
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — to tire
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. snap — to click

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