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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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · file · mate · deal · sharp · object · bass · bay

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. object — an aim
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. sharp — clever
  12. mate — a partner
  13. object — to protest
  14. file — a tool
  15. object — a thing
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — low music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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