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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: current · branch · drill · bound · rush · suit · wound · row

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. branch — a division
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bound — certain
  8. current — electric
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. suit — in cards
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wound — an injury
  19. suit — to fit
  20. current — of water
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. drill — army training
  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