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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.

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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: swing · rash · leaves · nail · face · wake · last · file

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. file — a document
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. face — to confront
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. last — final
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. last — to go on
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rash — a series
  13. swing — to play on
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wake — a trail
  16. face — part of the head
  17. swing — in golf
  18. last — finally
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. swing — music
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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