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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 116 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: rush · board · bulb · can · track · bore · court · pitch

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. track — a song
  4. pitch — completely
  5. board — to get on
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rush — hurry
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bulb — for light
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. track — a path
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. court — of a king
  15. can — a tin
  16. court — for sport
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. court — of law
  20. board — a committee
  21. bore — to tire
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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