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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: lash · face · foot · current · vault · march · file · lean

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. current — of water
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. march — the month
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. foot — a measure
  9. current — happening now
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. march — the month
  13. vault — a safe
  14. march — music
  15. face — part of the head
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. current — electric
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. lean — thin
  23. file — a tool
  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