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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. file — a line of people
  6. perch — the fish
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. face — to point toward
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. face — part of the head
  13. file — a document
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rush — hurry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. prune — to trim
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. prune — to trim
  23. face — to confront
  24. ruler — for measuring

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