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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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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: wax · toast · pit · file · lie · deal · current · arm

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. current — electric
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. file — a line of people
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. current — of water
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. file — a document
  11. toast — bread
  12. file — a tool
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lie — to recline
  15. current — happening now
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pit — a hole

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