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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: bank · snap · capital · plane · pit · bore · staff · rush

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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. bank — of a river
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. staff — employees
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pit — in a race
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. capital — money
  13. staff — employees
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. snap — to click
  16. bore — to tire
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rush — hurry
  19. capital — a city
  20. bank — for money
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bank — for money
  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