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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 116 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
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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: fan · lash · rock · mouse · bear · file

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rock — music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. file — a document
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. file — a tool
  18. lash — a whip stroke

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