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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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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: root · lean · chip · wave · stock · temple · dip · wake

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. root — the cause
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. root — of a word
  5. stock — shares
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. chip — for betting
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. root — of a plant
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. lean — thin
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lean — to bend
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stock — goods
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wake — a trail

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