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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: bowl · track · pitch · craft · board · bulb · bore · sharp

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bore — to drill
  3. track — a song
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. board — to get on
  6. track — a path
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bulb — for light
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. craft — boats
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. track — to keep track
  23. board — a committee
  24. craft — a skill

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