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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: chair · chip · ruler · cold · track · date · suit · leaves

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. date — the fruit
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — an illness
  8. track — to keep track
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. suit — in cards
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chip — to eat
  20. track — a song
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — a path
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. suit — to fit

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