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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: mouse · toast · row · lash · ball · bark · racket · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. toast — bread
  3. cue — for pool
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cue — a signal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. row — to paddle
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bark — to shout
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. row — a line
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. racket — for tennis

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