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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: stand · deal · chip · cell · scale · charge

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. charge — electricity
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. charge — a price
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — in music
  7. deal — to handle
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cell — a phone
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. charge — in control
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cell — in biology

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