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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: net · roll · board · bulb · bore · mark · fan · pit

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. roll — a cake
  5. net — after costs
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. board — to get on
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bulb — for light
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. net — for catching
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mark — a grade
  19. net — in sport
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bore — to drill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — a hole
  24. roll — a list

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