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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — to eat
  4. stock — goods
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. staff — employees
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. dip — to sink
  17. chip — for betting
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stock — shares
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. staff — employees
  24. rush — hurry

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