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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.

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: file · pound · net · foot · scale · clip · temple · face

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. clip — to cut
  3. face — to point toward
  4. file — a tool
  5. net — in sport
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. scale — in music
  8. clip — for paper
  9. pound — a weight
  10. file — a document
  11. clip — a video
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. foot — a measure
  15. net — after costs
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. face — to confront
  18. file — a line of people
  19. net — for catching
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. scale — size or range
  24. foot — the bottom

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