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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: foot · temple · stock · saw · deal · chip · trunk · staff

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stock — goods
  7. deal — to handle
  8. staff — employees
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. chip — to eat
  16. staff — a stick
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chip — for betting
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. saw — the tool
  22. foot — a measure
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. temple — a place of worship

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