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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: straw · bound · stock · temple · chip · rule · spell · bowl

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. stock — shares
  8. bound — tied together
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bound — certain
  17. rule — government
  18. stock — goods
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bound — obliged
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. chip — to eat

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