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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: spell · mouse · wake · coach · board · jam · bore · fall

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. board — a committee
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — to get on
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fall — the season
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fall — to drop
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. spell — letters
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. board — a flat piece

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