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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: file · content · bound · lash · stand · face · season · toast

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. season — in sport
  3. file — a document
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bound — tied together
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. file — a line of people
  8. toast — bread
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. face — part of the head
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. content — the amount
  15. stand — to bear
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — to confront
  20. file — a tool
  21. season — of the year
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bound — certain
  24. content — happy

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