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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · branch · rush · march · staff · row · bore · current

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. row — a line
  3. can — a tin
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. march — the month
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. staff — employees
  8. current — happening now
  9. can — a tin
  10. march — the month
  11. staff — employees
  12. bore — to drill
  13. branch — a division
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. row — to paddle
  16. staff — a stick
  17. current — of water
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bore — to tire
  20. march — music
  21. current — electric
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. can — to be able to
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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