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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. file — a document
  3. pass — a permit
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. mug — a cup
  8. chip — for betting
  9. deal — to handle
  10. file — a line of people
  11. last — final
  12. mug — a face
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mug — to rob
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. capital — a city
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — finally
  20. file — a tool
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. capital — money
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. capital — a big letter

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