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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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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: lie · key · chip · mate · toast · rule · mine · cue

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. rule — government
  8. chip — to eat
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lie — to recline
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cue — a hint
  15. key — the most important part
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rule — a law
  18. mine — for digging
  19. key — in music
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cue — for pool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — to rule out

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