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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · rock · mouse · stock · prune · snap · degree · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bore — to tire
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rock — music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. snap — to click
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — an amount
  24. mouse — the animal

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