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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 120 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: present · wake · kid · fine · bore · arm · track · bulb

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. fine — high quality
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. track — a path
  10. bulb — for light
  11. present — there
  12. kid — child
  13. bore — to tire
  14. track — to keep track
  15. kid — to tease
  16. present — a gift
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wake — a trail
  19. fine — all right
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. track — a song
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bulb — for light

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