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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: wake · coach · rush · rule · mouse · pit · bay · bore

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rule — a law
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bore — to tire
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wake — a trail

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