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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 116 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: mug · cue · bay · row · track · object · lash · kid

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. mug — a face
  3. object — a thing
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. track — a path
  6. cue — for pool
  7. row — a line
  8. mug — to rob
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. row — to paddle
  13. track — to keep track
  14. kid — to tease
  15. track — a song
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. object — to protest
  20. cue — a hint
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. kid — child
  23. object — an aim
  24. mug — a cup

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