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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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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: stand · rush · mate · bore · snap · cue · bay · wound

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. snap — to click
  6. mate — a friend
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mate — a partner
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wound — an injury

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