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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.

Make a worksheet

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: prune · file · rush · patient · lash · mine · mouse · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. file — a document
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. file — a tool
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. file — a line of people
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. prune — the fruit

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