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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: coach · net · jam · temple · chip · rush · cabinet · stem

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. chip — to eat
  8. net — in sport
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. net — after costs
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rush — hurry
  19. net — for catching
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. temple — a place of worship

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