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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: row · current · kick · band · bore · bark · charge · board

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. current — of water
  3. bore — to drill
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. band — a ring
  6. bore — to tire
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. current — happening now
  11. kick — in football
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. charge — in control
  15. row — a line
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. band — a music group
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. row — to paddle
  21. current — electric
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. board — a flat piece

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