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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: charge · stand · cap · can · bulb · chip · wind · nail

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. can — a tin
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. charge — a price
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cap — of ice
  11. chip — for betting
  12. charge — in control
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. can — a tin
  16. cap — a lid
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cap — a hat

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