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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · march · row · mark · rock · trunk · rash · mouse

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. row — a line
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. march — music
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. row — to paddle
  13. march — the month
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. march — the month
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rash — a series
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mark — a trace

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