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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
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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 · track · perch · mine · ball · bulb · patient · cue

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — for digging
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bore — to drill
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — to tire
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — a song
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cue — for pool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. track — a path
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. ball — a great time
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bore — gave birth

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