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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: mate · pit · rock · bound · snap · cue · plane · bore

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. bound — tied together
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rock — music
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mate — a partner
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bound — certain
  21. cue — a signal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bore — to drill
  24. pit — a hole

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