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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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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: rash · saw · file · wave · lash · mine · rush · dip

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rash — a series
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. file — a document
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rash — hasty
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rush — hurry
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. file — a tool
  24. mine — for digging

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