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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: jam · plane · cue · rush · board · calf · bore · ground

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rush — hurry
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bore — to drill
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. cue — a hint
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. ground — crushed
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cue — for pool
  16. plane — a tool
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ground — a position
  21. cue — a signal
  22. board — a committee
  23. ground — the earth
  24. plane — an aircraft

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