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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: ball · bulb · field · pit · bore · rule · suit · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rule — a law
  6. field — for sport
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. field — a subject
  11. rule — government
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bulb — for light
  21. field — farmland
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bore — to drill

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