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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: chip · race · snap · charge · key · date · bay · rush

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chip — to eat
  5. snap — to click
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. charge — in control
  9. key — in music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rush — hurry
  13. charge — electricity
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. charge — a price
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. key — for a lock
  22. date — the fruit
  23. key — the most important part
  24. date — on the calendar

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