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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: bore · vault · row · rush · rash · object · branch · straw

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rush — hurry
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rash — a series
  6. object — an aim
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bore — to drill
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. rash — hasty
  19. object — to protest
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. row — a line
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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