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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: bay · coach · bore · cue · object · lash · saw · mouse

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — to protest
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bore — to tire
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bore — to drill
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. object — an aim
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. object — a thing

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