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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. file — a tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. charge — a price
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a document
  15. charge — in control
  16. chip — to eat
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cold — an illness
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. cold — not warm
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. deal — to handle
  24. chip — for betting

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