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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  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. mine — belonging to me
  3. file — a line of people
  4. cap — a lid
  5. file — a document
  6. chip — for betting
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mine — for digging
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. file — a tool
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cap — a hat
  19. deal — to handle
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fall — the season
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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