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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · lie · stick · chip · pitcher · stand · temple · game

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stock — shares
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stock — goods
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stand — to bear
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pitcher — a jug

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