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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 · plane · pitcher · file · cabinet · bay · rock · land

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. land — to come down
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. file — a tool
  8. land — ground
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. file — a document
  14. land — a country
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rock — music
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. deal — a big deal

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