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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. roll — a cake
  14. track — a song
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bore — to drill
  19. club — for dancing
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. roll — a list

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