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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: ball · bulb · deal · fall · arm · land · date · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. file — a tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. deal — to handle
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. file — a document
  13. land — to come down
  14. bulb — for light
  15. date — the fruit
  16. ball — a dance
  17. land — ground
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bulb — for light
  24. land — a country

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