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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: degree · charge · cabinet · can · mark · stand · ground · chip

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. degree — from a university
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. charge — in control
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. chip — for betting
  11. charge — a price
  12. stand — to bear
  13. can — a tin
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ground — a position
  16. mark — a grade
  17. can — a tin
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — to be able to
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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