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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: track · bore · bulb · bound · root · race · pitch · bowl

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bore — to tire
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. race — a contest
  12. bulb — for light
  13. race — humankind
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. root — of a plant
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. root — of a word
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. root — the cause

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