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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · bear · firm · season · snap · nail · straw · net

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. season — in sport
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. firm — decided
  8. bore — to drill
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. net — after costs
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. firm — steady
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bore — to tire
  17. net — in sport
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. firm — a company
  21. net — for catching
  22. season — of the year
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. season — to add flavour

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