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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 116 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: lash · calf · file · mark · face · fan · net · nail

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. file — a line of people
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. net — for catching
  6. face — part of the head
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. file — a tool
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. file — a document
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mark — a trace
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — to point toward

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