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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: file · rush · straw · racket · mouse · bulb · drill · pass

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. drill — army training
  9. bulb — for light
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. file — a document
  18. pass — a permit
  19. drill — the tool
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rush — hurry
  24. file — a tool

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