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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: bore · bulb · lean · mate · track · chip · bowl · ball

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lean — thin
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mate — a partner
  16. track — to keep track
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lean — to bend
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. lean — to rest against

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