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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: row · current · rush · board · rash · rock · wound · calf

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rock — a stone
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rock — music
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. row — a line
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. current — of water
  13. board — to get on
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. current — electric
  20. row — to paddle
  21. current — happening now
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. board — a committee
  24. rash — hasty

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