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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: coach · bore · staff · rash · bowl · snap · leaves · chest

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bore — to tire
  4. snap — to click
  5. bore — to drill
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rash — hasty
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. chest — a box
  13. staff — employees
  14. chest — of your body
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rash — a series
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bowl — a dish

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