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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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468
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 · chip · mine · charge · mark · snap · rash

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. charge — a price
  3. craft — boats
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mark — a grade
  9. chip — for betting
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rash — hasty
  12. charge — in control
  13. rash — a series
  14. craft — a skill
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. snap — to click
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. charge — electricity
  24. temple — a place of worship

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