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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: firm · march · bowl · chip · net · wake · pitcher · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  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. firm — a company
  3. chip — for betting
  4. net — for catching
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — in sport
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. firm — decided
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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