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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.

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: perch · file · prune · lash · saw · rock · mouse · court

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. court — of law
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rock — music
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. court — for sport
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rock — a stone
  16. saw — the tool
  17. perch — the fish
  18. court — of a king
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rock — to move gently

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