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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: chip · spell · temple · lie · field · wave · tube · roll

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. tube — the underground
  3. field — a subject
  4. tube — a container
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lie — to recline
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. roll — a cake
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. spell — letters
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. roll — a list
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. field — farmland
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. field — for sport

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