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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: date · chip · bear · temple · plane · mine · club · pop

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bear — the animal
  5. club — for golf
  6. pop — soda
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pop — music
  9. mine — for digging
  10. club — a group
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bear — the animal
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. chip — to eat

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