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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: toast · mate · bulb · bay · roll · bore · track · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — of a king
  4. track — a song
  5. roll — a list
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. court — for sport
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bulb — for light
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bore — to drill
  17. track — a path
  18. mate — to breed
  19. toast — bread
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. track — to keep track
  24. roll — a cake

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