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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · tube · present · charge · fine · race · staff · chip

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. staff — a stick
  3. race — a contest
  4. tube — a container
  5. chip — to eat
  6. race — the arms race
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. charge — in control
  10. fine — high quality
  11. staff — employees
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. present — the time now
  14. race — humankind
  15. staff — employees
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. fine — all right
  19. rash — hasty
  20. present — there
  21. chip — for betting
  22. present — a gift
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fine — a penalty

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