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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: bore · spell · rock · board · land · jam

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. spell — letters
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. land — a country
  9. spell — magic
  10. land — to come down
  11. rock — a stone
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rock — music
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. land — ground
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bore — to tire

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