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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: pit · snap · drill · lean · bear · stock · mate · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. drill — the tool
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. stock — shares
  6. roll — a list
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bear — the animal
  11. drill — army training
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pit — in a race
  16. snap — to click
  17. mate — a friend
  18. roll — a cake
  19. lean — thin
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stock — goods
  24. bear — to put up with

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