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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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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: nail · file · deal · racket · firm · wave · kid · root

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. firm — a company
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. kid — child
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. firm — steady
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. root — of a word
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. file — a tool
  12. deal — to handle
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. root — the cause
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. file — a line of people
  19. root — of a plant
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. kid — to tease
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. firm — decided
  24. wave — with your hand

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