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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: content · snap · lash · nail · file · mark · spell · leaves

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. content — happy
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. file — a tool
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. spell — magic
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. file — a line of people
  20. mark — a trace
  21. content — the amount
  22. snap — to click
  23. file — a document
  24. lash — to lash out

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