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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: bore · mate · cue · track · march · rush · bay · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. march — music
  10. bore — to tire
  11. track — a song
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. march — the month
  15. track — a path
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bore — to drill
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. cue — for pool
  22. march — the month
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. cue — a hint

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