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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 120 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: foot · bore · hand · suit · wake · nail · pass · mark

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. mark — a grade
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. suit — to fit
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. hand — in cards

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