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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: date · mate · row · suit · chip · craft · rash · race

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mate — a partner
  4. craft — boats
  5. mate — to breed
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rash — a series
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mate — a friend
  12. suit — in cards
  13. row — a line
  14. date — the fruit
  15. craft — a skill
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. row — to paddle
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. rash — hasty

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