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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: charge · pound · bank · leaves · file · face · wave · sharp

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. face — to confront
  4. pound — a weight
  5. sharp — clever
  6. file — a tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. charge — a price
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. face — to point toward
  16. charge — in control
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. charge — electricity
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. leaves — of a tree

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