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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: pop · rush · branch · bore · current · perch · sharp · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pop — music
  4. current — happening now
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. current — electric
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. branch — a division
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pop — soda
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rush — hurry
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bear — the animal
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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