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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 120 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 · land · suit · chip · staff · mark · mouse · foot

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. land — to come down
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. land — a country
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mate — to breed
  9. staff — employees
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. foot — a measure
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mark — a grade
  16. land — ground
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. staff — employees
  21. chip — to eat
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. chip — for betting
  24. suit — clothes

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