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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: capital · bore · temple · pit · rash · snap · wax · craft

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rash — a series
  4. bore — to tire
  5. craft — boats
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pit — a hole
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. capital — a city
  14. pit — in a race
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. capital — money
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rash — hasty
  24. craft — a handicraft

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