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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. charge — in control
  3. craft — boats
  4. rock — music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cap — of ice
  9. charge — electricity
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cap — a hat
  14. fall — the season
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bulb — for light
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fall — to drop
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. cap — a lid
  23. charge — a price
  24. temple — a place of worship

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