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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: chip · row · club · stick · suit · drill · temple · wave

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. club — a group
  4. drill — army training
  5. club — for golf
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. drill — a practice
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. drill — the tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. chip — to eat
  13. row — to paddle
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. row — a line
  16. suit — to fit
  17. club — for dancing
  18. chip — for betting
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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