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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: net · mine · scale · cap · suit · trunk · chip · charge

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. scale — in music
  3. chip — to eat
  4. net — in sport
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. scale — size or range
  7. cap — of ice
  8. charge — in control
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. chip — for betting
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mine — for digging
  16. cap — a lid
  17. suit — to fit
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. net — for catching
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. suit — in cards
  24. net — after costs

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