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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: bulb · track · nail · rock · rash · stick · board · sharp

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rock — music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. board — a committee
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rash — a series
  21. track — a path
  22. sharp — clever
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. board — a flat piece

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