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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: rock · mouse · snap · roll · bore · foot · rush · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. snap — to click
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pop — to visit
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. roll — a list
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. roll — a cake
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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