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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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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: mark · lash · leaves · nail · fan · staff · file · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. staff — employees
  5. mark — a trace
  6. present — there
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a line of people
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. staff — employees
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. present — a gift
  20. staff — a stick
  21. file — a tool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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