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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: snap · bore · suit · roll · pitch · foot · rock · date

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. roll — a cake
  3. suit — in cards
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — the fruit
  6. rock — music
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pitch — completely
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. roll — a list
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. suit — to fit
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. foot — part of the body

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