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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: mate · mouse · stand · leaves · vault · key · cell · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cell — a phone
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mate — a partner
  9. chip — for betting
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mate — to breed
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mate — a friend
  24. key — in music

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