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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.

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: deal · file · craft · foot · current · mouse · scale · lie

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. foot — a measure
  4. current — happening now
  5. file — a line of people
  6. craft — boats
  7. current — of water
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. current — electric
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a document
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. deal — to handle
  24. craft — a skill

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