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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: nail · lie · bulb · ball · track · rest · bear · bore

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a dance
  7. track — a song
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rest — a break
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bear — the animal
  24. track — a path

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