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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 116 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: fan · suit · chip · track · game · rush · charge · last

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. track — a song
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. track — to keep track
  13. last — to go on
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. last — finally
  19. last — final
  20. game — a match
  21. charge — a price
  22. game — wild animals
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. track — a path

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