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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 116 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: net · pop · bore · rush · craft · wave · bank · row

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bank — for money
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. net — for catching
  5. pop — to visit
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. row — a line
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bank — for money
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bank — of a river
  20. craft — boats
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. row — to paddle
  23. craft — a skill
  24. row — a quarrel

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