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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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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 · wound · current · ground · suit · deal · lean · arm

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. file — a line of people
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ground — the earth
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. current — happening now
  7. suit — to fit
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wound — an injury
  12. file — a document
  13. lean — thin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ground — a position
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. current — of water
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — to handle
  22. file — a tool
  23. current — electric
  24. deal — an agreement

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