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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.

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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: lash · pitcher · prune · file · content · bass · pass · rush

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. file — a line of people
  5. content — the amount
  6. file — a document
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pass — a permit
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bass — low music
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. file — a tool
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. prune — to trim
  24. content — happy

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