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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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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: mark · key · chip · file · sharp · deal · charge · ground

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. deal — to handle
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. key — the most important part
  6. file — a document
  7. key — for a lock
  8. charge — a price
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ground — crushed
  14. file — a line of people
  15. chip — to eat
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. ground — the earth
  18. charge — in control
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mark — a grade
  21. key — in music
  22. ground — a position
  23. charge — electricity
  24. file — a tool

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