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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: pop · mate · swing · bound · temple · staff · chip · current

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. current — electric
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bound — tied together
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mate — a partner
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. current — of water
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. swing — to play on
  21. staff — employees
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. swing — music
  24. current — happening now

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