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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 120 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: chip · bore · snap · rush · calf · land · nail · wound

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. land — to come down
  10. snap — to click
  11. wound — an injury
  12. chip — for betting
  13. land — ground
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. land — a country
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. wound — an injury
  19. chip — to eat
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rush — hurry
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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