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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 120 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: wave · pitcher · cap · stock · mouse · chip · chair · temple

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stock — shares
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. cap — a lid
  14. chair — a leader
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stock — goods
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cap — a hat

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