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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: present · cap · track · deal · charge · cabinet · chip · pit

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. track — a path
  5. cap — a hat
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. charge — in control
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. track — a song
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chip — for betting
  20. present — there
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cabinet — ministers

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