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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: mug · date · rush · racket · lash · march · bay · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mug — a face
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. date — the fruit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mug — to rob
  8. march — the month
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. rush — hurry
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. dip — to sink
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mug — a cup
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. date — on the calendar

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