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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: coach · mug · racket · cue · stick · land · bore · wake

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wake — a trail
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mug — to rob
  8. land — to come down
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mug — a face
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cue — for pool
  15. land — a country
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mug — a cup
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — to drill

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