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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. mark — a trace
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. craft — a skill
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. chip — for betting
  8. craft — boats
  9. key — the most important part
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mark — a grade
  12. key — in music
  13. chest — a box
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mate — a partner
  16. chip — to eat
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. chest — of your body
  20. mate — to breed
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mate — a friend

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