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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. board — a committee
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. bore — to drill
  15. content — the amount
  16. cue — a signal
  17. net — after costs
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bore — to tire
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. content — happy
  24. cue — for pool

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