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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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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: mark · rest · bore · stick · land · snap · bay · staff

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. mark — a grade
  3. staff — a stick
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. staff — employees
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rest — a break
  13. bore — to drill
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bore — to tire
  16. staff — employees
  17. snap — to click
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bore — gave birth

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