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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: bulb · wound · chair · ball · bay · pitch · bore · bark

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wound — an injury
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pitch — completely
  24. ball — a dance

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