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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: race · fan · board · patient · bulb · rock · key · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. board — to get on
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bulb — for light
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. board — a committee
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. race — a contest
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. race — humankind
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rock — a stone

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