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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: sharp · cap · dip · chip · key · charge · can · cabinet

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. charge — a price
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cap — a hat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. can — to be able to
  9. charge — in control
  10. key — the most important part
  11. can — a tin
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — electricity
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. can — a tin
  23. sharp — clever
  24. key — in music

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