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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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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: cabinet · bore · cue · dip · rash · mate · wave · swing

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mate — to breed
  7. cue — a signal
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cue — a hint
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rash — hasty
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bore — to drill
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rash — a series

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