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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: file · wound · jam · pass · lean · face · fork · mug

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. file — a document
  4. lean — thin
  5. wound — an injury
  6. file — a tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mug — to rob
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. mug — a face
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. file — a line of people
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mug — a cup
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lean — to rest against

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