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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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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: chip · deal · mate · stand · temple · cabinet · cap · charge

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mate — to breed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stand — to bear
  15. charge — in control
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. mate — a friend
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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