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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: scale · wave · pound · firm · chip · bank · cabinet · temple

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — steady
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. firm — decided
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pound — a weight
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. scale — in music
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. chip — to eat
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bank — of a river
  21. firm — a company
  22. scale — size or range
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bank — for money

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