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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: suit · ball · mine · ruler · snap · mark · bore · coach

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bore — to drill
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bore — to tire
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ball — a great time
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. mine — for digging
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. snap — to click
  19. mark — a grade
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ball — a dance
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. suit — clothes

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