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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · fork · firm · content · bulb · track · bore · key

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bulb — for light
  4. content — happy
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. firm — decided
  10. key — for a lock
  11. firm — steady
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. track — to keep track
  18. firm — a company
  19. track — a path
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. track — a song
  22. key — in music
  23. content — the amount
  24. key — the most important part

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