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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bore · lash · mate · object · coach · bass · cue · bear

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mate — to breed
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. object — an aim
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bass — low 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