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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
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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: file · rush · straw · leaves · lash · drill · tube · last

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. file — a document
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. file — a line of people
  7. last — to go on
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. last — finally
  13. tube — the underground
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. rush — hurry
  17. tube — a container
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. drill — a practice
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. file — a tool
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. last — final

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