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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: snap · pass · rock · fine · bore · wound · rest · hand

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rock — music
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rest — a break
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. snap — to click
  20. rest — what's left
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. wound — an injury
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — in cards

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