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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 · track · drill · bank · pit · bore · bulb · hide

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. bore — to drill
  5. track — a path
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — army training
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bank — for money
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bank — for money
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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