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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: sharp · mark · nail · bore · mug · snap · bay · swing

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. mug — a face
  5. swing — in golf
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mug — a cup
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. swing — music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bore — to drill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mark — a grade
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mug — to rob
  24. snap — to click

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