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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: tear · bore · board · rush · rock · roll · object · current

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rock — a stone
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. object — to protest
  6. current — electric
  7. tear — to rip
  8. roll — a cake
  9. object — an aim
  10. bore — to drill
  11. roll — a list
  12. current — of water
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bore — to tire
  17. object — a thing
  18. current — happening now
  19. rock — music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. roll — on a roll

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