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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 120 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: file · saw · deal · hand · bay · bass · swing · suit

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. saw — the tool
  6. suit — in cards
  7. swing — music
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. file — a document
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. hand — in cards
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. file — a tool
  15. swing — to play on
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bass — low music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. swing — in golf
  24. deal — to handle

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