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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 · chip · hand · toast · suit · snap

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mate — a partner
  3. snap — to click
  4. mate — to breed
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mate — a friend
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. suit — to fit
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. hand — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. hand — help
  15. suit — in cards
  16. chip — to eat
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. toast — bread

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