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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: cap · chip · stick · degree · cabinet · temple · court · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. key — in music
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. court — of law
  7. cap — a lid
  8. court — of a king
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cap — of ice
  13. court — for sport
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. degree — temperature
  16. chip — to eat
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cap — a hat
  19. degree — from a university
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chip — for betting
  22. degree — an amount
  23. key — the most important part
  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