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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · craft · file · pass · rest · fine · charge · chest

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. file — a tool
  4. charge — a price
  5. file — a document
  6. chest — of your body
  7. rest — a break
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pass — a permit
  11. charge — electricity
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. craft — boats
  18. charge — in control
  19. fine — all right
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rest — what's left
  22. file — a line of people
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fine — high quality

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