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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: mate · dip · rock · chip · suit · cap · rush · charge

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rock — music
  3. cap — of ice
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rush — hurry
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. suit — to fit
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. cap — a hat
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mate — to breed
  17. chip — for betting
  18. dip — to sink
  19. charge — a price
  20. suit — in cards
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rock — a stone
  23. charge — in control
  24. suit — clothes

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