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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. chip — for betting
  6. present — the time now
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wake — a trail
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. fine — high quality
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. fine — all right
  17. file — a document
  18. charge — electricity
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. present — a gift
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. chip — to eat
  23. file — a line of people
  24. present — there

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