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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.

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: staff · march · face · snap · ball · track · file · safe

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. face — to confront
  5. ball — a great time
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. staff — employees
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. staff — employees
  13. snap — to click
  14. track — to keep track
  15. staff — a stick
  16. track — a path
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. march — music
  22. ball — a dance
  23. track — a song
  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