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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: rush · wave · bass · fan · wound · chip · stock · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — goods
  4. wound — an injury
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bass — low music
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. fan — a supporter
  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