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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: ball · roll · degree · chair · toast · mouse · mate · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a list
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. toast — bread
  14. degree — from a university
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. degree — an amount
  19. ball — a great time
  20. roll — a cake
  21. mate — a partner
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. degree — temperature

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