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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 120 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
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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: charge · face · net · mine · lash · leaves · mark · degree

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. face — to point toward
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. net — after costs
  6. face — to confront
  7. mine — for digging
  8. degree — from a university
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. charge — electricity
  13. degree — an amount
  14. net — for catching
  15. mark — a trace
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. degree — temperature
  18. charge — in control
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. charge — a price
  22. net — in sport
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mine — belonging to me

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