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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: snap · rest · bore · fork · toast · board · mate · hide

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. rest — what's left
  3. board — to get on
  4. snap — to click
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bore — to tire
  9. mate — a partner
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mate — a friend
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bore — to drill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mate — to breed
  21. board — a committee
  22. toast — bread
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. rest — a break

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