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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: fan · rule · rest · perch · file · dip · racket · rush

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. rest — a break
  2. file — a tool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. file — a document
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rest — what's left
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. dip — to sink
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rest — what's left
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rule — government
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rule — a law
  21. rush — hurry
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rush — a thrill
  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