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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.

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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: pit · lash · swing · wake · file · mouse · bowl · racket

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pit — in a race
  4. swing — music
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. file — a line of people
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. file — a document
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. swing — in golf
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bowl — a dish

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