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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: calf · jam · straw · squash · board · bore · sharp · march

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. 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. straw — a straw man
  2. bore — to drill
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. march — the month
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. march — music
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. march — the month
  14. squash — the sport
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. squash — to crush
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. board — to get on
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. 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