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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 116 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: stock · snap · mark · pit · squash · mine · rush · bore

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bore — to tire
  6. squash — the sport
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stock — goods
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. stock — shares
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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