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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: fine · bulb · fan · season · track · snap · bore · row

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bore — to drill
  9. season — of the year
  10. row — a line
  11. bore — to tire
  12. row — to paddle
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. track — a path
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. fine — all right
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. track — to keep track
  20. snap — to click
  21. season — in sport
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fan — a supporter

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