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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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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: bulb · snap · rush · last · mug · track · bore · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. track — a song
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bore — to tire
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mug — a face
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mug — to rob
  15. board — a committee
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. mug — a cup
  19. last — to go on
  20. rush — hurry
  21. track — a path
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. snap — to click

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