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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: bore · rash · coach · rock · pop · hand · mouse · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pop — soda
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pop — to visit
  11. hand — help
  12. rash — a series
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rock — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pop — music
  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