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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 116 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rock — music
  4. march — music
  5. file — a tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fine — all right
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. march — the month
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. march — the month
  16. chip — for betting
  17. charge — electricity
  18. court — for sport
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. file — a document
  21. chip — to eat
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — of law
  24. deal — to handle

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