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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 120 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: racket · ruler · file · rush · bore · perch · pitcher · lash

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. file — a tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bore — to drill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. file — a document
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. perch — the fish
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. file — a line of people
  24. ruler — a monarch

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