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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wound · key · row · bore · stand · board · bulb · racket

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. key — for a lock
  11. board — a committee
  12. bore — to drill
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a line
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. key — in music
  22. board — to get on
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bore — gave birth

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