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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
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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 · bark · pitcher · roll · club · toast · race · bore

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. club — for golf
  2. roll — a cake
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bark — to shout
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bore — to drill
  7. club — a group
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. race — humankind
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. race — a contest
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. club — for dancing
  23. roll — a list
  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