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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: leaves · bowl · pass · rest · nail · file · fork · lash

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. file — a document
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. fork — in a road
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rest — what's left
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rest — what's left
  17. file — a line of people
  18. pass — a permit
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — a break
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. file — a tool

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