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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: bulb · chip · charge · foot · deal · cue · branch · cap

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cue — a hint
  4. deal — to handle
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. charge — in control
  8. bulb — for light
  9. foot — a measure
  10. charge — a price
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. charge — electricity
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bulb — for light
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. cue — for pool
  24. branch — of a tree

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