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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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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: mate · cue · wave · lash · wake · trunk · bay · rule

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rule — a law
  17. wake — a trail
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rule — government
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mate — a partner

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