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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
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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: march · coach · bore · date · rush · pop · current · leaves

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. current — of water
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. march — the month
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rush — hurry
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. march — the month
  15. pop — soda
  16. date — the fruit
  17. current — happening now
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pop — music
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. march — music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. current — electric

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