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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: bay · snap · club · bore · kick · wind · track · ruler

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. snap — to click
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bore — to tire
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. track — a song
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. kick — in football
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wind — moving air
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. club — a group
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. track — to keep track
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. club — for dancing
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. track — a path
  23. bore — to drill
  24. club — for golf

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