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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: cap · suit · snap · bore · cabinet · degree · coach · wake

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cap — a hat
  6. degree — temperature
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. suit — clothes
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. snap — to click
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. suit — 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