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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: wax · rush · snap · firm · ground · coach · charge · chip

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ground — a position
  3. chip — for betting
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. chip — to eat
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. firm — a company
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. ground — crushed
  14. snap — to click
  15. charge — a price
  16. wax — to grow
  17. rush — hurry
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — decided
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — in control
  24. ground — the earth

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