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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 · bay · date · capital · straw · rash · rush · chair

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rush — hurry
  8. capital — money
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rash — a series
  12. date — the fruit
  13. capital — a city
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. capital — a big letter

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