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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: mouse · track · drill · hide · stick · bulb · firm · bear

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — to keep track
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. drill — army training
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bulb — for light
  24. drill — the tool

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