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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 120 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: coach · drill · current · row · mark · branch · chip · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. chip — to eat
  3. row — a line
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. drill — a practice
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. drill — army training
  9. branch — a division
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. current — happening now
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pound — a weight
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. current — electric
  17. drill — the tool
  18. current — of water
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. coach — a trainer

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