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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: lash · mouse · rush · file · wave · coach · row · pitch

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rush — hurry
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. file — a line of people
  6. row — to paddle
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. file — a document
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pitch — completely
  14. row — a line
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. file — a tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rush — a thrill

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