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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: mate · spell · land · suit · straw · file · chip · toast

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. file — a document
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. spell — letters
  5. land — a country
  6. file — a tool
  7. suit — clothes
  8. spell — magic
  9. toast — bread
  10. mate — to breed
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mate — a friend
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. file — a line of people
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. land — to come down
  21. mate — a partner
  22. land — ground
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. straw — a straw man

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