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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
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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: temple · pitcher · staff · roll · stock · lean · mouse · spell

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. spell — magic
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. staff — employees
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. spell — letters
  11. stock — shares
  12. staff — employees
  13. lean — to bend
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. roll — a list
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stock — goods
  23. spell — a short time
  24. staff — a stick

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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