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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: face · hide · stand · leaves · pound · sharp · file · tube

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pound — a weight
  3. file — a line of people
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. file — a tool
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. file — a document
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. face — to point toward
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. tube — a container
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — part of the head

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