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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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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: file · stick · rock · racket · lash · mouse · pound · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. file — a tool
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pound — a weight
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a document
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rock — music
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. racket — for tennis

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