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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: clip · rash · mouse · current · can · bore · pitcher · bank

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. clip — for paper
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. clip — to cut
  7. bore — to tire
  8. current — of water
  9. can — a tin
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rash — a series
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rash — hasty
  17. clip — a video
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bore — to drill
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bank — for money
  23. can — a tin
  24. current — happening now

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