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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: fork · pit · fine · stick · deal · file · bass · wax

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. file — a document
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bass — the fish
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. file — a tool
  11. fine — all right
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wax — to grow
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a hole
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bass — low music

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