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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: field · jam · bowl · temple · chip · ball · stem · game

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. chip — for betting
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. chip — to eat
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. field — farmland
  10. stem — to come from
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. game — wild animals
  13. field — a subject
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ball — a dance
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. game — a match
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. field — for sport

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