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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: rush · bore · current · bark · straw · date · leaves · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. current — happening now
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rush — hurry
  5. date — the fruit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. current — of water
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. current — electric
  22. branch — a division
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bore — to tire

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