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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: rock · leaves · file · mouse · nail · pound · bound · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. file — a document
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rock — music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. file — a tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. face — to confront
  18. file — a line of people
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bound — certain
  24. mouse — the animal

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