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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: pound · bore · craft · snap · fine · saw · rush · present

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fine — high quality
  4. saw — the tool
  5. present — there
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. present — a gift
  9. craft — boats
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pound — a weight
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. present — the time now
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. rush — hurry
  21. saw — the tool
  22. snap — to click
  23. fine — all right
  24. rush — to hurry

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