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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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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: row · bulb · pit · stick · track · bowl · club · fine

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. club — a group
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. track — a path
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fine — all right
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bulb — for light
  10. track — a song
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. track — to keep track
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. club — for golf
  20. fine — high quality
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bulb — for light
  24. club — for dancing

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