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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: cell · mate · suit · chair · chip · mouse

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cell — a phone
  12. chair — a leader
  13. mate — a friend
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cell — in biology
  18. chair — a professorship

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