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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: stock · stick · cabinet · pitcher · chip · temple · root · lean

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. root — of a word
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stock — goods
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lean — thin
  13. root — the cause
  14. lean — to bend
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. stock — shares
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. cabinet — ministers

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