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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.

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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: sharp · land · file · arm · firm · deal · rest · scale

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. file — a document
  3. scale — in music
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. firm — decided
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. firm — steady
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a tool
  14. rest — a break
  15. land — to come down
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. firm — a company
  18. rest — what's left
  19. land — a country
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. deal — to handle
  23. land — ground
  24. sharp — clever

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