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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: wind · snap · mug · saw · can · cell · fine · bore

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mug — to rob
  4. fine — high quality
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. cell — in biology
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cell — a phone
  11. saw — the tool
  12. snap — to click
  13. mug — a cup
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bore — to tire
  16. wind — moving air
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mug — a face
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. fine — all right
  24. cell — in a prison

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