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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: fine · bowl · face · rule · bore · object · jam · snap

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. object — an aim
  5. face — to point toward
  6. object — to protest
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. face — to confront
  11. object — a thing
  12. rule — a law
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bore — to drill
  17. fine — all right
  18. rule — government
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. fine — high quality
  23. snap — to click
  24. bowl — to roll

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