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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: stock · perch · chip · clip · chair · temple · stick · face

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. face — to confront
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. clip — for paper
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chair — a leader
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. stock — goods
  13. clip — to cut
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. chip — to eat
  16. stock — shares
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. clip — a video
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. perch — the fish

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