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

Word bank: cue · tear · staff · board · mug · shower · calf · snap

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. board — a committee
  5. mug — to rob
  6. staff — employees
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. staff — a stick
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mug — a cup
  11. snap — to click
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. staff — employees
  17. tear — from crying
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mug — a face
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. board — to get on

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