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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
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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: temple · suit · snap · chip · date · mine · chair · scale

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. chip — for betting
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. scale — size or range
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chip — to eat
  12. suit — to fit
  13. chair — a leader
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. date — the fruit
  18. snap — to click
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. scale — in music
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mine — for digging

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