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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 · kick · rush · bore · bear · pit · rock · track

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pit — in a race
  3. track — to keep track
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rock — music
  12. track — a path
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pit — a hole
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. snap — to click
  19. rock — a stone
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to drill
  23. kick — in football
  24. track — a song

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