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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 116 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: sharp · stem · pass · present · snap · bore · key · saw

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stem — to come from
  5. key — the most important part
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. sharp — clever
  10. present — a gift
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. present — there
  15. snap — to click
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. present — the time now
  18. saw — the tool
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pass — a permit
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stem — of a plant

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