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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 120 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: can · bore · rush · leaves · bark · row · mark · pitch

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mark — a grade
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. can — a tin
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rush — hurry
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pitch — completely
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bore — to tire
  19. row — a line
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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