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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: rash · straw · cue · swing · bore · mouse · bay · root

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. root — the cause
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rash — a series
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cue — a hint
  16. swing — in golf
  17. root — of a word
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. rash — hasty
  21. cue — for pool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — music

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