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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: fine · row · tube · club · file · saw · fan · lash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. tube — a container
  9. fine — all right
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. file — a tool
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fine — high quality
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. saw — the tool
  18. row — a line
  19. club — for dancing
  20. tube — the underground
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. saw — the tool
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a line of people

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