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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: deal · jam · file · spell · lean · suit · kid · hand

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. hand — in cards
  7. deal — to handle
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. kid — child
  10. lean — thin
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — letters
  13. file — a document
  14. hand — help
  15. suit — to fit
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. kid — to tease
  19. file — a tool
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. lean — to bend
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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