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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: jam · cue · bay · bore · board · object · snap · charge

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cue — a hint
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. object — to protest
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bore — to tire
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. board — a committee
  13. cue — a signal
  14. charge — a price
  15. cue — for pool
  16. charge — electricity
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. board — to get on
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. object — a thing
  23. charge — in control
  24. object — an aim

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